Rajouri, Poonch link road remains closed
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Bufliaz (Poonch), February 16
Even as the state government has announced that the construction of historic Mughal road project linking Jammu and Kashmir province would be completed by 2009 and the traffic would start plying on it, one of the main approach roads to this ambitious road remains closed for more than a month.

The approach road to the under construction Mughal road through Dera Ki Gali (DKG) also serves as the shortest link road between Rajouri and Poonch districts.

The approach road that besides serving as approach road to the Mughal road at here also functions as alternate link road between Rajouri and Poonch passes through Thanamandi and DKG.

However, as the approach road to the Mughal road, the alternate road link between Jammu and Kashmir province, remains closed due accumulated snow of 4-5 feet at DKG. The government failing to get the road opened by the Border Road Organisation, the residents, who have pinned hopes from this road for economic growth, are questioning the sincerity of the government in constructing the Mughal Road and keeping it open throughout the year.

“We are hoping that the government will keep its promise and will get the historic Mughal road constructed by 2009. But what makes us feel that it (government) is not sincere in getting the road constructed and open it for vehicular traffic,” they said.

“It has failed to open one of the main approach roads even after a month of its closure due to heavy snowfall,” said Muhammad Rafiq, resident of Behramgala near here, who along with his wife Taj Begum had to trek about 20 km from their native place to Thanamandi to reach Rajouri to attend the last rites of his nephew Muhammad Taroof who died in a road accident.

Another resident, Munshi Khan, a shopkeeper here, said the BRO authorities did not send a single snow-clearing machine to open this road. Instead, he claimed, that the BRO authorities terminated some of the additional labour, involved in snow clearing job and only 15 labourers are left to complete the work.

The officer commanding, 79 Road Construction Company, BRO, said the approach road would be possibly opened within three to four days. “We are using the available resources like dozers and loaders to clear snow and open the Mandi-Sawjian road first. After this road is opened for traffic, we will shift our resources to open the road at DKG,” he said.