AARYAN SHARMA
JAMMU: Five Assembly constituencies of Jammu West, Nagrota, Gandhi Nagar, Raipur Domana and Jammu East figure on top of the list of 37 constituencies where maximum length of road under various sectors have been macadamized during the current financial year.
In contrast to this the remote and hilly districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban fair badly as far as macadamisation is concerned while border areas too have been neglected by the PDP-BJP alliance government in carrying out macadamisation of crucial road links. Gulabgarh assembly segment represented by Mumtaz Ahmed of Congress party saw macadamization done on just two kilometer road length during the current financial year.
According to sources in the Public Works (Roads and Buildings) Department 114.90 kms of road length was macadamized in Jammu West Assembly constituency, represented by state BJP Chief Sat Paul Sharma.
This is followed by Nagrota Assembly constituency where 112.59 kms of road length was macadamized. The assembly constituency is represented by National Conference MLA Devender Singh Rana. At number three is high profile assembly constituency of Gandhi Nagar where 111.47 kms of road length was macadamized. Speaker Kavinder Gupta is representing the posh Assembly segment. Raipur Domana at 92.90 kms and Jammu East at 90.77 kms figure at number 4 and 5 in respect of macadamization of roads.
Interestingly, the two VVIP constituencies of Basohli and Billawar, represented by Forest Minister Lal Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Prof Nirmal Singh figure low in the list of assembly segments. While 58. 60 kms of road length was macadamized in Basohli, 46.35 kms was macadamized in Billawar Assembly segment during the current financial year.
Assembly constituencies of Samba, Vijaypur, Hiranagar and Kathua have also failed to live up to the expectations of border villagers as only 38 Kms of road length was macadamized in Hiranagar and Kathua assembly segments while Vijaypur got 42 kms of road length macadamized and Samba faired slightly better at 69.95 kms.
The situation along frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch is not impressive as well. Only Haveli, Surankote and Rajouri assembly segments have clocked over 50 kms of macadamized road lengths while all other four assembly segments of Kalakote,Nowshera, Darhal and Mendhar have more or less 40 kms of road length macademised.
The assembly segments of Doda has witnessed macadmisation on 18. 75 kms, Bhaderwah 20.40 kms, Inderwal 27.49 kms, Ramban at 16.80 kms, Banihal at 33 kms and Kishtwar at 15.43 kms.
