Drivers pool money to fill potholes on dilapidated Bandipora-Sopore road

Bandipora, May 3: Irked by the bad condition of the Bandipora-Sopore road, passenger cab drivers from the Sumo stand in north Kashmir's Bandipora pooled money to fill the potholes. The drivers said the road, especially from the Bandipora side, has become a nuisance for passengers and cab drivers alike. Despite raising the issue repeatedly with the concerned authorities, the drivers said their pleas were ignored, which forced them to come out and repair the road on their own. "None of the officers who commute daily on this road realise the importance of repairing the road or filling the potholes,"  said Hafizullah Dar, a driver, adding that , "It is hard to estimate the damage incurred on the vehicles due to road conditions."

The locals say the road stretch is bad from Mangnipora to Ashtingoo, with large potholes dotting the road everywhere. "We decided to pool the money and came here to fill potholes," one driver from the Madhumati Sumo stand said.

The drivers heeded the call after the president of the Sumo stand Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi shared his concerns with the drivers of the stand.

Dar added, "The government is paying no attention and has not been doing anything to repair the road." The drivers from getting truckloads of gravel also worked on laying it on the road for a full day. The sumo stand drivers' association said that more than twice what they earn is spent on repairing the vehicles that develop issues while hitting the potholed road. The drivers said not only are they affected, but the passengers are equally distraught, while chronically ill and those with bone and joint issues are hit hard.  They said it has been two years that the road is in bad shape and "now the condition has turned worse," they added.  The drivers seeking government attention requested they repair the road as soon as possible.