Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, Jan 28: The people from Ari and adjoining areas today held protest and blocked Mendhar-Surankote road for about two hours.
They were protesting against the damage caused to the road due to digging for lying cables by a private contractors. The villagers said that recently Deputy Commissioner Poonch had stopped the road digging work and had also directed the SHO to lodge FIR against the agency for causing extensive damage to the road but again, they started work without bothering for the directive and in connivance with the police.
Due to rain in last 3-4 days, the road suffered heavy damage and retaining walls also washed away. The movement of vehicles on the road has also been badly affected and several vehicles got trapped in the drains left unattained. The locals stopped the work and started protest dharna. Later, SHO concerned and Naib Tehsildar moved to the site and tried to pacify the people.
SDM Mendhar, Rahul Yadav said that he would take cognizance of the matter and issue notice to the concerned agency.