KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Panic gripped Hajin town in Bandipora district after more road length slid along the Jhelum River Sunday with authorities asking the nearby residents to move to safer areas.
At least a Kilometre of main road in Hajin town in Bandipora district has slid again today morning, sparking protests by locals against the flood control and irrigation department.
This follows the slides of Friday when half a Kilometre road had caved in along the river bank.
Authorities have asked the nearby residents of Sheikhpora locality and shopkeepers to move to safer places till they temporarily repair the damaged road and erect sand bags to stop further slides.
Locals said that the landslides in the road have disconnected the area from main market to Hajin Bridge.
The locals blamed the irrigation and flood control (IFC) department for not acting on time. “The department is in deep slumber. We had informed then after time and again to erect a concrete retaining wall to stop road-slide,” Irfan Ahmad, a local said.
The locals said that if the department fails to take measures they will start protests against the government and the department.
Sub District Magistrate Sonawari, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat told KNS that the department concerned has started raising sand bags as temporary arrangements and have asked the residents to shift to safer place for some time.
“Sand bags are being raised along the road length on Jhelum river bank to stop slides. DPR has been completed and soon work of piling and raising concrete retaining wall will be started,” Bhat said.
The SDM said that as a precaution they have asked the nearby residents to shift to safety for some time.
Earlier, local police officials went to the endangered area and blocked the road on both its ends so that no human is harmed. The police asked the locals to shift to safety. The traffic from Sonawari to Bandipora has been suspended.
