SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Pulwama MLA Waheed Ur Rahman Para on Wednesday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Government over the delay in road macadamisation, alleging that public suffering had intensified despite thousands of crores being allocated to the Roads and Buildings (R and B) Department.
Thousands of crores have been allocated to R&B Department, yet the reality on the ground remains alarming. Nearly half the working season has passed, but not a single road has been taken up for macadamization or blacktopping. Announcements continue, tenders are issued, but…
— Waheed Ur Rehman Para (@parawahid) June 24, 2026
In a post on X, Para said nearly half of the working season had passed but not a single road had been taken up for macadamisation or blacktopping. He questioned the pace of road development despite substantial public expenditure.
The criticism comes amid reports that the macadamisation of roads across several parts of Jammu and Kashmir has been stalled due to a deadlock between the government and contractors as well as hot-mix plant owners.
According to the issues highlighted, contractors are demanding the clearance of pending liabilities from 2016 to 2019, revision of the Standard Schedule of Rates (SSR) to reflect rising costs of construction materials, fuel and labour, and the inclusion of A-Class contractors in macadamisation works. They have also raised concerns over mandatory police verification procedures, which they say are hampering daily operations.
The President of the Hot Mix Plant Association Kashmir, Bashir Ahmad Khan, has appealed to the government and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene and resolve the impasse so that road works can resume without further delay.
The delay has left several interior, inter-city and link roads in poor condition, causing inconvenience to commuters, patients, senior citizens, women and children. Damaged roads have also resulted in frequent vehicle breakdowns, affected public transport operations and impacted tourism and local trade, according to the concerns raised.
The issues highlighted further pointed to a shortage of maintenance staff in the R and B Department following retirements without fresh recruitment. Senior Assistant Executive Engineer Riyaz Ahmad Rather was cited as saying that while the road network had expanded significantly, the absence of new road workers, supervisors and additional sub-divisions had weakened routine maintenance.
The concerns also included a lack of coordination among departments, alleging that newly macadamised roads are frequently dug up by the Power Development Department and the Jal Shakti Department for utility works without being properly restored. The article further called for stricter quality control of construction materials, improved roadside drainage systems and greater public responsibility to prevent encroachments, unauthorised digging and dumping of waste on roads.
The government has invested over Rs 61,528 crore in major highways, tunnels and railway projects, including the Zojila Tunnel, new tunnels on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and the Srinagar Ring Road, to strengthen connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir. However, concerns continue to be raised over the condition of several local and link roads awaiting macadamisation.
