Dusty conditions on Rajouri highway | Life of villagers, commuters getting affected

Rajouri, Aug 11: Severe dusty conditions prevailing on highway stretch under upgradition from Lamberi to Rajal is affecting life of local villagers and commuters, who are struggling in their daily lives due to these unhygienic conditions.

The National Highway called as NH 144A connecting Poonch and Rajouri districts with Jammu is presently under up- gradation through a project of Government of India which is being supervised over by Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

The existing two lane highway is being upgraded on two lane with paved shoulders dimension with four tunnels are also part of this upgradition project . Those include Kandi tunnel, Sumbal tunnel, Nowshera tunnel and JWG tunnel.

The highway stretch from Sunderbani to Lamberi has already been blacktopped and is nearing completion while concrete and sand has been laid on highway stretch from Lamberi to Rajal with blacktopping work will be started shortly.

However, severe dusty conditions prevailing on this stretch, which is around seven to eight kilometres long, is badly affecting life of people of the area as well as commuters.

Rajat Sharma, a local resident said that highway from Lamberi to Rajal is surrounded by dense human population with highway traffic volume is also very high and thousands of people travel over the highway. He said that presently severe dusty conditions are prevailing on the road that is not only affecting life of people but is also reducing visibility. “ High volume of dust particles get spread in environment along highway which is an environmental hazard.” another local Sunil Kumar said.

He mentioned about need to immediately deal with the problem and to take adequate measures to settle dust particles from environment till highway blacktopping work is taken up. An official of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on being contacted said that blacktopping work of this highway stretch is being taken up soon which will end this problem.

He, however, said that some temporary measures like sprinkling of water vapours is done on regular basis at this stretch.