Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Aug 9: Siot-Kalakote Road Action Committee (SKRAC) in its virtual protest held today, demanded double laning of 22 Km Siot-Kalakote Road and converting 58 Km stretch from Siot to Rajouri (via Kalakote) as Bye Pass National Highway.
Speaking on the occasion, chairman of the committee, Ashok Sharma (former legislator) said, “The Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) issued NIT for its double laning in 2006-07 and tenders were to be allotted to a firm but some nefarious elements are using their political vendetta to favour small contractors and creating hurdles in construction of road, thus making the people suffer”.
He said despite announcement of double laning of this road by PM Narendra Modi in his political rally in 2014, nothing could happened in past 6 years despite high profile announcement and the people particularly the patients, pregnant women are suffering.
Stating that this road link is life line to the population of about 1.50 lakk people of Kalakote Assembly Constituency, he regretted that its most depleted condition is telling upon the health care, education, business, agriculture produce and cattle rearing of thousands of households. Sharma urged upon the newly appointed Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to personally intervene in this hot issue of public importance.
Those who presented their views during the virtual protest meet include Jeet Singh Sawhney, Som Raj Khajuria, Rattan Lal Mehta, Junaid Hussain (Advocate), Kewal Sharma, Ajay Sharma, Gandharb Singh, Dr Dig Paul, Ramesh Chander, Darbari Lal, A P Sharma, Vinod Sharma and Arjun Sharma.