Weeks on, Gurez road remains closed, people suffering for want of daily essentials

Bandipora, Mar 12: The residents of Gurez Valley in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district are making fervent appeals to the government to restore road connectivity, severed last month following snowfall.

Notably, the road, which had remained open for much of the peak winter season, provided some relief to the locals.

However, weeks on, with road remaining shut, the residents are suffering from a lack of daily essentials, including fresh vegetables, poultry, fruits, and other items.

"The road closed on February 24 and has remained shut since then," Mukhtar Ahmad Lone, a former BDC member from Kanzalwan, told Greater Kashmir.

"The shopkeepers have an acute shortage of fresh vegetables, fruits, chicken, and other items amid the month of Ramadhan," he added.

The locals said that all blocks, including Dawar and the far-off Tulail regions, were affected.

"We have been consuming dried vegetables, lentils, and potatoes that we store for winter due to the shortage," Ahmad said.

The locals even though happy that there is abundant snow now, said they have made appeals to the Deputy Commissioner, local MLA, and other concerned authorities to start clearance operations as soon as possible.

However, the weather remains inclement, with rain and snow continuing intermittently, which has prolonged the snow clearance operation.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which maintains the 85-Kilometre Gurez-Bandipora road, remains skeptical about starting snow clearance sooner.

The OC BRO, Avinash Kumar, told Greater Kashmir that the weather has not improved yet and may remain inclement till Saturday.

He said, "Once the weather improves, the snow clearance operation will start."

The officials noted that if snow clearance operations start immediately while the weather remains intermittently inclement, the operation would have to start afresh.

Notably, the Razdan Pass, the highest stretch on the Gurez-Bandipora road, is buried under six feet of snow, according to officials.