Internal road network of Doda in a shambles

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 27

As people of other parts of the state have been complaining that the government hasn’t been able to fully macadamise roads in their districts, the Public Works Department (PWD) in Doda has only macadamised 10 to 12 km of roads this year.

Almost all internal roads in the hilly district are in a dilapidated condition and people are forced to commute in life-threatening situations.

The macadamisation of roads, if any, has been done only inside Doda town and near the national highway while all internal roads are waiting for attention from the government. Potholes, landslides, damaged protection walls and muddy surfaces are order of the day in Doda.

Over four lakh people reside in the district and every day, they have to travel from one place to another to attend offices, schools, hospitals and perform other works. Most of the people, hailing from lower middle class and poor family backgrounds, use public transport to commute but the dilapidated condition of roads pose threat to their lives.

“The government as well as the local administration don’t pay any kind of attention to the area and officials are only interested in getting their salary every month. We have asked the administration to streamline the system in the coming days. The PWD has sought time till December 31 for that purpose,” said Muzammil Hussain, a youth from Doda, who and a few more youth have formed a group to put pressure on the administration to streamline the system. The PWD is putting the onus on the climate and lack of facilities in the area to macadamise roads.

“We have macadamised 10 to 12 km of roads this year, including roads in Doda town. We don’t have sufficient plants available in the district and get feeding from one plant near Bhaderwah which caters to the PWD as well as the Border Roads Organisation,” said Niaz Ahmad Banday, Superintending Engineer, PWD, Doda circle.