Macadamising of roads underway in Valley
Our Correspondent
Srinagar, August 14
The government has started macadamising most of the roads in the city which had turned nightmare for people in the last year floods. The work has been accelerated after the Minister for Roads and Buildings Syed Altaf Bukhari last week directed the officials to repair Srinagar roads on a priority basis.
“I have directed the authorities to start work on macadamisation of interior roads, but whether the same will be completed this year, I am not sure about that,” Bukhari said.
Rubbishing claims of officials blaming lack of funds as the major hindrance in repairing roads on time, the minister said the government had enough funds for roads’ maintenance.
“There is no shortage of funds for the upgrade of roads. The only thing is that weather should remain favourable so that we can continue the macadamisation and patchwork of the dilapidated roads as it needs a specific temperature,” he said.
As Srinagar was worst hit by the floods last year, most of the roads were damaged or washed away making commuting a difficult proposition for the people in the summer capital.
“The government has finally woken up to our plight,” said a resident of Mehjoor Nagar, where the roads have been blacktopped three days ago.
As most of the roads in the state have been damaged due to the floods and incessant rain, the minister has also assured that 800-km road length in Jammu and Kashmir was being black-topped on a priority basis.
“Due to extensive damage to road network during the September floods, the Roads and Buildings Department has adopted fresh specifications for maintenance of roads where tar macadam depth is two to four inch, depending on condition of a road,” the minister said.
