Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 14: Locals and traders of Narwal-Kunjwani Bye Pass road staged a protest against National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), today.
Hundreds of locals and traders assembled at Kunjwani and raised slogans against authorities of NHAI in Jammu and Kashmir for not listening to the voice of concerned traders of the area.
Former Legislator and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leader Vikram Randhawa also joined the protest.
To express their anguish, the protesters also blocked the Highway and restricted the vehicular movement.
While speaking on the occasion, Randhawa said, the construction of flyover on blind walls is not acceptable at all.
“The construction of flyover on blind walls will affect the livelihood of around 10 lakh people”, he added.
Former Legislator said that the development works launched by the Narendra Modi led Central Government is appreciable. But, if the development work is making people angry then it should be stopped immediately, he added.
“The flyover in Bari Brahmana was demolished as it was too constructed on blind walls, which was affecting the livelihood of the people”, Randhawa said and demanded construction of flyover from Kunjwani to Narwal on pillars instead of blind walls.
However, the protesting traders said that as a part of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, NHAI is constructing flyover from Kunjwani to Narwal on blind walls which is not acceptable to the traders of the area as it will result into closure of their trade activities.
“We urged the NHAI to construct the flyover on pillars and in this connection we also met Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi. The Minister also spoke to the NHAI authorities in J&K and directed them to construct the flyover on pillars so that traders of the area do not suffer but the NHAI authorities even did not pay heed to the directions issued by the Minister,” they added.
The protesting traders demanded the NHAI to immediately stop the construction work of blinding-wall flyover.
“We are not against the construction of flyover but NHAI should also take care of the concerns of the traders and construct the flyover on pillars instead of blinding-walls,” Sham Langer, ex-vice president Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) said and warned of intensifying the protest by blocking the Highway if NHAI ignored their concern and demand.
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