Umaisar Gull Ganie
Qazigund, May 8: The Jammu-Srinagar national highway is in a dilapidated condition near Qazigund area of South Kashmir, thereby giving tough time to commuters who travel on this route on a daily basis.
Commuters said that the road, only surface link connecting Kashmir Valley with the outside world, has developed huge potholes at many places in Qazigund as the concerned department has failed to upgrade its condition.
They said no work has been taken up for the last several years while the road is dotted with potholes.
“The entire stretch of the road, from Jawhar Tunnel to Wuzur Qazigund is filled with huge potholes, causing immense problems to the commuters. The road has not been upgraded for the last several years,” Hilal Malik, a local said.
He said that ever since the work on newly constructed Jammu-Srinagar highway (NH-44) was started in Qazigund, the old highway has been left unattended as neither the national highway’s authority nor the R&B takes the responsibility of its repairs.
The locals said that the main reason for accidents on this road stretch is due to its dilapidated condition.
Meanwhile, Highway official, Mir Usman Khalid said that they have already submitted a report about the condition of the road and have prioritized the road for macadamisation.
He assured that the work on the road will start soon.