Baramulla, July 21: Inhabitants of Kilwara village of Tangmarg are up in arms against the PMGSY officials and contractor for not complying the norms while constructing a road through the village.
Locals alleged contractor for not following proper guidelines and using substandard material, accused officials of not responding to the pleas and requests of the public grievances.
A road widening work is going on under PMGSY through the existing road of Hariwatnoo Kilwara connecting dozens of villages of Tangmarg and Kunzar Tehsil, however, Contractor is accused of throwing all norms to winds by not following the guidelines as per the PMGSY.
Residents allegedly said that no retaining walls and drains near agriculture and horticulture land is being constricted which creates water logging problems on the said road, triggering soil erosion of the horticulture and agriculture land.
“It is a welcoming step but unfortunately the executive agency is not working as per the approved schedule, and sub standard material is being used. We appealed to the engineering wing of PMGSY but it seems Engineering wing is hand in glove with the contractor as they have never visited the spot and no quality check was conducted by them”, said a local Ashiq Ahmad.
He further said,” No assessment was done by the horticulture or revenue department for compensation of land to farmers.”
Another local said, “Tehsildar Tangmarg has clearly directed the executing agency not to start work on the road till assessment for compensation is not completed by the department but the contractor has started work on his own. Protection walls are necessary because during the rainy season it will create waterlogging and will damage roads and trigger slides if retaining walls are not constructed.”
When contacted Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE),PMGSY Baramulla, Irfan Ahmad said, ” No sub-standard material is being used, if such thing is there, I will visit the site tomorrow or day after and if any sub-standard material is used anywhere, for sure that will be dismantled and reconstructed, granular filling is allowed which include gravels, sands,cobbles but no soil filling is allowed.”
When asked about the retaining walls and drainage system construction along the road he said, “The resources are limited for any project, however I will visit the site and see wherever there is any requirement that will be taken care of. Our first priority is to achieve the width of the road not to protect any land, wherever it is necessary the retaining walls will be constructed.”(KNB)
