Mubashir Alam Wani
Srinagar, Mar 8: As excitement fills the air for children eager to resume their studies, the residents of Chinar Colony HMT Zainakote, find themselves grappling with a pressing concern about the perilous state of their roads.
The locals in the area stated that the prospect of sending their children to school presents significant challenges due to severely deteriorated road conditions in their area.
Several residents said that a stretch of road in their locality has developed extensive potholes, often filled with rainwater, making it impassable for pedestrians and hazardous for vehicles.
Muzaffar Ahmad, a local resident, highlighting the dire situation, stated, “There is no way we can walk on the road, such is the condition of the road. There are big potholes filled with water, and even smaller cars face damage while crossing our road stretch.”
The local residents in the area said that the reopening of schools poses a daunting task for them, as they have to find alternative means to transport their children safely to bus stops for pick and drop.
“Due to the damaged road, school buses do not stop in the area for pickups. This is forcing parents to carry their children on their shoulders or in their own vehicles to drop them at their bus stops”, said a local in the area.
Expressing concern, another local Mustufa said, “I live adjacent to the damaged road stretch, and the school bus does not stop there for pickup due to the damaged road. I have to carry my child either in my lap or on my shoulders to the bus stop. When I am not around, my child could miss school.”
Despite repeated appeals to the authorities for road repairs, residents lamented that their requests have gone unheeded.
