Excelsior Correspondent
SURANKOTE, July 17: A large number of villagers from Fagla, Kallar Kattal, Hari Marhote and adjoining hamlets held strong protest demonstration near Surankote against the State Government and R&B authorities for their failure to complete road from Surankote to Mandi via Fagla.
The people from these areas led by Sarpanch Mohd Aslam Kohli from Kallar Kattal reached at Sanai near Surankote town and raised barricades on Poonch- Jammu highway at around 10 am. They stopped the movement of vehicles on this busy highway and started their protest demonstration. The villagers were shouting loud slogans against Chief Minister, R&B Minister and concerned Chief Engineer besides R&B Department.
The movement of a large number of vehicles came to grinding halt and a long traffic jam was created there. The village Sarpanch Aslam Kohli alleged that this 52 kms road from Bafliaz (Surankote) to Mandi via Fagla and Kallar Kattal area comprising of over ten adjoining Panchayats, was started by PWD (R&B) in 1977 but unfortunately after the lapse of over 36 years this road could not be completed. The people of this area are badly suffering due to poor road communication. He said in 2006, this issue was raised in the Assembly also and at that time, the Government had claimed that 25 kms road from Bafliaz side and around 20 kms from Mandi side was complete but it was total lie and the road is still incomplete. It is very unfortunate that even in the Assembly House, the Government/ Ministers gave wrong replies befooling people and they go scot free as no cognizance is taken by the ‘Chair’. The people are losing faith in the highly reputed institutions due to such acts, he maintained.
Later, Tehsildar Surankote Abid Hussain and SHO Ashiq Hussain Shah reached there and assured the people to take up issue strongly with the concerned officers of R&B. The people gave one week’s ultimatum to start suspended work, failing which they would storm R&B office Poonch and lock all the officials. They said over 80 kms long Mughal road was completed in just 6-7 years but this single road could not be completed in long 36 years. On the assurance of Administration, the people lifted dharna at around 12 noon and allowed movement of traffic.
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