Residents of Nownagri village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have demanded the construction of a proper road connecting the village with Shitparpora, alleging that the government acquired hundreds of kanals of their land years ago but neither built the promised infrastructure nor paid compensation.
A group of residents said the road linking Nownagri and Shitparpora has remained in poor condition for years, making commuting difficult for students, patients and commuters.
They alleged that the government had acquired nearly 400 kanals of land from villagers for development purposes, assuring them that the area would benefit from improved infrastructure, including roads. “The government took around 400 kanals of land from the village with the assurance that it would undertake various developmental works.
However, neither was a proper road constructed nor were the affected landowners compensated,” the residents said. They said the damaged road becomes particularly difficult to use during the rainy season, with potholes and an uneven surface slowing traffic and increasing the risk of accidents.
Abdul Rehman Mir, a resident, said repeated representations to the authorities had failed to yield any results. “We have approached the concerned departments several times, but nothing has changed. Our local MLA never visited the area despite approaching him many times,” Mir said.
Residents said the poor road was affecting their daily lives, making it difficult sometimes for ambulances or school buses and other vehicles to travel through the area. They added that dust during the summer and slush during the rainy season had become a persistent problem. The villagers urged the district administration and the local MLA to take up the matter on priority. “We appeal to them to construct the road without further delay so that they could get relief from the recurring inconveniences caused to them”, they added.
