Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Aug 13: Bad condition of Bandipora-Gurez road has irked residents of the border town as they alleged that authorities have failed to undertake any repair work on the only connecting link.
Nestled in the high Himalayas and located some 123 kilometers north of Srinagar, Gurez Valley remained under snow for nearly six months. Due to heavy snowfall, the area stayed cut off from the rest of valley, which forces nearly 30,000 residents to live a life of wilderness. However, the preparations for the harsh winter start from mid-October by transporting all the essential commodities through only 85 km-long connecting link from Bandipore district headquarters in north Kashmir.
The locals said due to heavy snowfall the area remained cut from the rest of world for nearly six months. The snowfall also damages the road surfaces that make it extremely tough for commuters to travel, they said. “The authorities have failed to undertake any up-gradation on the road. Every day our two- three hours are wasted due to the deplorable condition of the road,” Mohammad Rafiq, a Gurez resident, said.
He alleged that local administration and Border Roads Organisation are overlooking the problems that people face on daily basis. “The authorities built the road of Ladakh and Zojila but paid no attention to the roads of our area. This showed the non-serious approach of Government towards the connectivity of remote areas,” he said. The locals also said that every year Government spends crores of rupees under Pradhan Mantri Gharam Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Border Areas Development Program (BADP) but their area never gets any attention.
“Nothing is being done to maintain this important connecting link,” they said. Referring to the recently held three-day Gurez Festival, Owaise Ahmad, a local that such endeavors failed to render desired results as the tourists get discouraged by bumpy rides. “Who will visit a place where roads are in bad shape? The Tourism Department organized a festival to attract tourists to this virgin place but bad roads awash their efforts,” he said.
The residents of Gurez said they approached authorities repeatedly to get the road repaired but their pleas have not been heard, so far. “The road stretch from Razdan to Kanzalwan up to Dawar is in bad shape having potholes and dirt. The road is dug up at several places. No major repair work has been carried out on the road since past several years,” they said.
The locals said that the deplorable condition of the road also discourages the transporters to ply their vehicles on the road. “Many vehicles have refused to travel on this road which is hampering the movement of the people,” they said. Meanwhile, an official at BRO said that they are preparing a detailed report for the much-needed repairmen. “Once the report is in our hand the repair work can be taken up,” he said.
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