Baramulla, Apr 04 (KNO): The residents have urged the authorities to reconstruct the retaining wall, damaged four years ago, at Qazi Hamam locality of the Old Town Baramulla in north Kashmir, saying there is every apprehension of any untoward incident due to a landslide. They also slammed the Roads & Buildings (R&B) department for not paying due attention to the serious issue.
Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), several people at the Old Town Baramulla said that the wall that was constructed for the safety of people alongside the Bagh-e-Islam road has been damaged, thereby posing a risk to human lives. They said the road connects Drangbal and other areas and is prone to landslides and shooting stones because the hills have also got damaged.
They said that despite the issue being brought to their notice, the concerned authorities have failed to reconstruct the damaged retaining wall.
“Knowing the sensitivity of the area very well, the department is repeatedly offering excuses, either of tendering issue or something else, for the last four years,” said Arsheed Ahmed, a resident of Qazi Hamam.
He said just a few days ago, the shooting stones rained, which resulted in the skidding of the leftover wall. “The area is prone to shooting stones and rock sliding.
Even the hoarding installed by the R&B department there advises the people passing through this road to take “self-protection accordingly".
“If anything untoward happens in the area, the R&B department will be responsible,” the locals said.
A senior official at the R&B department Baramulla told KNO that they will look into the matter—(KNO)