Pulwama residents demand urgent repairs of vital Chakoora-Panzgam, Panzgam-Kawini roads
Locals say roads left unattended for years, causing daily hardships, authorities cite hurdles in widening process
Pulwama: Residents of Chakoora, Panzgam, Grawgund, Kawini, and adjoining villages in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have expressed deep resentment over the dilapidated condition of the Chakoora-Panzgam and Panzgam-Kawini roads, demanding immediate intervention from authorities to restore the vital link.
Stretching around three kilometers Panzgam-Kawini road is a lifeline for thousands of people living in these villages, connecting them to railway station Panzgam and other areas. However, locals complain that the road has been lying in disrepair for years, making daily travel a struggle.
“The condition of this road is pathetic. It hasn’t been repaired or blacktopped for several years now. Huge potholes make driving and even walking very difficult,” said Gulzar Ahmad, a resident of Panzgam.
Altaf Ahmad, another local, said that what should ideally take a few minutes often takes much longer due to the broken stretch.
“Travellers are forced to drive at a snail’s pace. The condition worsens during rains when the road turns muddy and slippery. Despite repeated assurances, nothing concrete has been done.”
They said that same is the condition of Chakoora-Panzgam road and it has been left unattended for years.
Residents also said that the government had started work on the road on multiple occasions, but for reasons unknown, it was abandoned midway. “A two-kilometre portion was marked for widening, but the work was suddenly stopped. Instead of easing our travel, the incomplete work has added to our misery,” said another villager.
People allege that they have taken up the issue several times with concerned authorities, but their pleas have not been addressed. “We have been requesting urgent repairs for years, but all our representations have gone unheard. The road is a basic necessity, and its neglect shows how our villages are being sidelined,” locals said.
Residents have now urged Deputy Commissioner Pulwama and higher authorities to personally intervene in the matter and ensure that work on the Chakoora-Panzgam and Panzgam-Kawini roads is resumed without further delay.
