Excelsior Correspondent
KISHTWAR, May 5: Protesting against the dilapidated condition of various roads in the area especially Malipaeth-Zelana stretch and worsening condition of Batote-Kishtwar National Highway, the irate residents of Kishtwar and adjoining areas held a protest at Kuleed Chowk and blocked the road for 9 hours today. They also gave a call for tomorrow’s Kishtwar bandh in protest against the failure of GREF authorities to maintain the National Highway and other roads in the district.
The protesters raising slogans against the Government and concerned authorities demanded that the Kuleed road which leads to holy shrine of Machail Mata be renovated immediately as the annual pilgrimage of holy shrine will start in the month of August. The protesters also demanded that Batote-Kishtwar highway and other roads which are being maintained by GREF be handed over to a company like AFCON or Leighton for better quality work.
The protesters also demanded that Batote -Kishtwar road be made an all weather road as the people of this hilly belt remains disconnected during rainy season due to the bad condition of road, land slides and soil erosion.
They said that the transporters are reluctant to ply their vehicles on the road in view of increasing accidents and the concerned authorities have failed to look into the matter.
The protesters made an appeal to Union Surface Transport Minister to look into the issue and take up the construction of an all weather road to Kishtwar and Doda in hand.
They also demanded that a helicopter service be started for Kishtwar immediately.
The protest was led by Sarpanch Ajit Shan and Shashi Badyal while Ajit Sharma led the road blockade near Gouri Shanker temple. The others who addressed the protest included Ravinder Kumar Gupta chairman Traders Association Kishtwar, Shashi Badyal secretary BJP, Krishan Lal, Gautam Singh and others.
The ADC Kishtwar, ASP Kishtwar and SHO visited the dharna site and pursued the protesters to lift road blockade. But the protesters did not agree to hold negotiations with them forcing them to beat a hasty retreat.
The protesters were demanding immediate black topping of Malipaeth-Wassar-Zelana road.
As protesters failed to get concrete assurance from GREF officers, they called for Kishtwar bandh tomorrow.
Traffic on Kishtwar-Chatroo and Kishtwar-Padder highway and other link roads remained suspended throughout the day.
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