Pulwama: The residents of Koil village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have demanded authorities for blacktopping an important road connecting the habitation with Malangpora.
A resident of Koil village Umar Mukhtar told Rising Kashmir that a road stretch on 7 kilometer Koil -Malanpora road is in a dilapidated condition which is causing inconvenience to commuters.
He said that a 2 kilometer stretch on this road from Koil to Lajoora has developed many potholes due to which it gives bumpy rides to commuters.
“The road stretch has no proper drainage along the sides due to which it often remains waterlogged,” he said, adding that due to waterlogging significant damage has been caused to the road.
He added that this is an important road used as an alternative by commuters for treading between Awantipora and Pulwama especially in evening hours after traffic is diverted near Air Force base in Malangpora.
The residents said that vehicles plying on the eroded road stretch blow dust high in air which pollutes the environment.
“The dust pollution is causing allergies and aggravating illness among asthma and chest disease patients,” he said.
Another resident, Jawad Ahmad, a university student, said that passenger vehicles have to be very cautious while plying on the road stretch.
“Normally it will take only 10 to 15 minutes to cover this distance in a sumo taxi but due to the presence of potholes it consumes 35 minutes, each day our precious time is getting wasted,” he said.
The residents appealed to authorities of R&B department Pulwama for blacktopping the road for ease of passengers.
“We demand authorities that the road blacktopping and it needs immediate patch work on the damaged portion so that commuters face no inconvenience,” the residents said.
Executive Engineer R and B Pulwama Nisar Ahmad Lala told Rising Kashmir that blacktopping is not feasible for the road during the current season.
“We will take up the road for patch work,” he said.
