STATE TIMES NEWS
BHADARWAH : People of Kishtwar is not getting any relief as Kishtwar is still cut off from rest of the state for the 5th consecutive day on Tuesday while continue shooting stones at sliding area is hampering the restoration work.
The traffic on Batote-Doda-Kishtwar National Highway (NH1B) remained suspended after 100 meters of road was eroded when a massive landslides and huge boulder hit Kulgardi area near Drabshala area of Kishtwar, 27 KM from Kishtwar on Friday evening resulting hundreds of commuters remained standstill at several places on the highway.
According to stranded passengers, hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers, remained stranded at several places between Doda- Kishtwar stretch of the highway and people are forced to travel on foot for half an hour to cover 5-7 kms distance through hilly terrain to reach other side of the road for transshipment.
According to reliable sources, a huge portion of the road has eroded while continued landslides and insufficient men and machinery are delaying the restoration work.
The commuters travelling on foot are facing problems as there is no arrangement of drinking water or first aid facilities from the side of district Administration or Police even after passing of 5 days of miserable conditions due to road blockage.
People crossing the slide prone area said that district administration and local legislators have failed to arrange additional buses of JKSRTC to facilitate transshipment of the Jammu bound passengers who travel from Kishtwar towards their destinations.
They demanded proper facility of drinking water, first Aid, transport facilities for passengers and restoration of connectivity as earliest. According to R&B officials, the road is completely eroded while the landslides and shooting stones are still coming down, which is creating hurdles to restore the road.
“We are helpless as the shooting stones are not allowing us to expedite work. If this will not end, it will take more days to make new way for traffic movement”, said a R&B official present at sliding site.
“Shooting stones are still coming down which is creating hurdles in restoration work but we are trying our best to restore it as the earliest, “said Traffic DySP NH1B Aftab Bukhari.
“I am personally monitoring the situation at sliding area and we have already expedite the restoration work ” DySP Aftab added.
However due to continued blockage of National Highway, now people are facing acute shortage of Ration ,Medicine , Kerosene Oil, Petrol, Diesel, Vegetables, Fruits, Meat, Chicken and other essential commodities.
