Pulwama, Feb 28 (KNO): The residents of Tral and Khrew areas of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district have expressed resentment against the government for “failing” to restart work on Syedabad-Wahab Sahab road stretch for a long time now.
Locals from these hamlets told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the 8-kilometre stretch with an estimated cost of around Rs 16 crore was supposed to connect Syedabad-Pastuna area of Tral to Wahab Sahab Shaar of Pampore Tehsil.
The road will be the shortcut way for the people of Tral parts towards Khrew Pampore, and also reduce travelling between these two areas, they said.
According to the locals, the foundation stone of the road was laid in the year 2015 by then MLA Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, following which the work was started but due to the unknown reasons, it was stopped.
Shahid Ahmad, a resident of Tral said there has been no work on the road for the last 10-11 years and the people of both areas have been waiting for the completion of this vital project, which is going to connect Tral directly with Khrew and Pampore while bypassing Awantipora.
With the completion of this stretch, the people of over a dozen villages will benefit and it will help in bringing this picturesque area especially Wasturwan on the tourism map, he said.
Mushtaq Ahmad, a resident of Pampore area said that this route will prove beneficial for people of both areas but the government has neglected this project.
The locals requested the concerned authorities to look into the matter at an earliest and take immediate steps in this regard. They have sought attention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah along with MLAs of both Tral and Pampore constituencies.
An official, while acknowledging that people of both sides have been waiting for a long time for completion of this road, said that they are expecting that the work on this stretch will be started soon.
He said that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of around Rs 26 crore was submitted for its construction and they are yet to get a green signal in this regard—(KNO)