Mohammad Majid Malik
Bhaderwah: In absence of repairs, most of the link roads in the Bhaderwah are dotted with potholes. Even major link roads such as Gatha to Sub District Hospital road are in a dilapidated condition.
“The non-seriousness of the authorities can be gauged by the fact that the road leading towards Bhaderwah’s only hospital in Dandi is in shambles. This poses risk to lives of patients who come from other areas,”said Raiz Ahmed Najar a social worker.
“The road new hospital link was constructed many years back, however there were certain stretches which were left unattended. Now those unrepaired portions have turned into craters posing risk of accidents to the commuters,”said Naseer Mehboob Padder president Youth Action Committee.
“It is a nightmare for me to drive my car through this dilapidated road, but I have no option,” Amir Sheikh said.
During rains, the dilapidated roads turn into cesspools. “When water remains stagnant for a long time, it further damages roads,” a shopkeeper said pointing towards damaged stretch of road. “Potholes on the road link here poses risk of accidents. This road is vital as most of the vehicles,” said Yudvir Singh President PDP Bhaderwah .
“Despite passing of nearly seven years, the state government failed to macadamize the vital road. The dilapidated road poses risk of accidents besides several vehicles have been damaged due to deep potholes and boulders. This is the best time to undertake macadamization due to lesser number of vehicles on roads during shutdown” residents of adjoin area said. They said the worst sufferers are the patients and pregnant women.
“Sometimes pregnant women give birth enroute to hospital in this road stretch because it takes us several hours to reach the hospital. This is no road. The governments and legislators only seek votes from us and after we poll our votes they disappear for six years. They give false assurances every time,” they said.
(Mohammad Majid Malik reports for Kashmir Life. This is under the segment we have started on Sundays for Citizen Journalists to report what is largely unreported as #WeAreListening)
