Sahil Verma
JAMMU, May 4: Once the most prestigious and beautiful stretch on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was known as NH1A, the road connecting Jammu with Nagrota town today has become an example of the phlegmatic attitude of the local administration which never gets tired of boasting about its achievements, especially with regard to the development of infrastructure.
The road stretch starting from the northern gate of Raj Bhawan upto Nagrota Check Post is a classic example of neglect and official apathy despite the fact that it passes through the famous Ramnagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Pir Baba and is still the part of an important route connecting Jammu City with Katra, Udhampur and Srinagar cities and maximum number of residents of Jammu and the aforementioned cities use this road for plying between these destinations.
The condition of this road at many places is abysmal as the traces of macadamization have been washed away and the vehicles moving on the road axis literally pass on the rocky base posing a great risk of accident and fatality but despite all this those responsible for its maintenance are carefree and have left the lives of the commuters of this road on the mercy of God. The maintenance of this road is quite vital because of the sharp curves and deep gorges falling in these about nine kilometers stretch but strangely the government has left out this road since a long time as relaying work or repairs have not been accomplished for the last many years and if the things will continue like this, there is every chance that sooner than later this road will transform into a ‘Pagdandi’, like places have in the old times, thus giving meaning to Bullock Cart Road Viz BC Road.
Those who boast of making Jammu a ‘Smart City’ should once travel through this road and see by themselves the progress which they have made because this road is the testimony to the fact that what is being projected is not the reality as the real picture is quite scary as the case of the aforesaid road stretch.
The Lt Governor Manoj Sinha must have a ride on the aforesaid road connecting Jammu with Nagrota town and go through the fact that people are really suffering and officers sitting at the helm affairs are showing least concern towards the public issues and giving a bad name to the City of Temples.
It is the responsibility of the department concerned of J&K Administration to maintain this road without any further delay as after losing the sheen of being part of NH, it should not deserve such a shabby deal.
