Dilapidated condition of road in Handwara village irks residents

Kupwara, Mar 29: Prior to 2010, Check Sanzipora, a remote village in Mawer area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district was without a road. Later authorities sanctioned a road for the village but that remained confined to the earth-cutting much to the disappointment of locals.

“Following the earth cutting, we were hopeful of getting a macadamised road but nothing like that happened. We have been subjected to immense hardships since then,” remarked the residents.

The residents said that they were without a road but with the efforts of the then MLA Langate Er Rasheed, a road was sanctioned for the village but unknowingly authorities left the road unmacadamized exposing locals to a lot of hardships.

“The pathetic condition of the road can be realised by the fact that vehicles are unable to ply on the road and at the times of any medical emergency we are forced to carry patients on makeshift cots to reach Sanzipora where we board public transport to reach NTPHC Qalamabad for treatment,” said a local, Ajaz Ahmad.

“During inclement weather the condition of the road goes from bad to worse. With no drain along the road, the water flows over the road making it impossible for commuters to walk on the road. Lack of culverts on the road makes things more complicated for us,” he added.

The residents said that the matter was brought into the notice of district administration numerous times, even the local DDC was well acquainted about the hardships of people due to the pathetic condition of this road, but to no avail. Meanwhile, District Development Council Member (DDC) Mawer Dar Khursheed said that a detailed project report (DPR) worth 3.3 crore regarding upgradation of the road stands was submitted to the Secretariat. “I hope that in the coming days the project will be approved following which work would start on Check Sanzipora road,” he added.