Turkwangam–SIDCO Lassipora road finally widened, locals thank authorities
Shopian: After years of persistent demand from locals, the much-troubled road stretch from Turkwangam to SIDCO Lassipora in south Kashmir has finally been widened, bringing much-needed relief to commuters from Shopian and Kulgam districts.
For years, the narrow road had been a source of daily traffic jams, especially during the apple harvesting season when growers rushed to transport their produce to the cold storage units at SIDCO Lassipora.
The situation often turned chaotic in the evening hours, with commuters covering a mere two-kilometre stretch in hours.
“This road connects dozens of villages with SIDCO Lassipora and the traffic pressure has always been very high,” said Sajad Ahmad, a fruit grower from Shopian.
“During this season, when people shift their apples to cold storage units, the road would get completely choked. Now, after widening, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief,” he said.
Locals who had repeatedly raised the issue with higher authorities expressed satisfaction that their long-pending demand has at last been fulfilled. “We had been facing this problem for years. The narrowness of the road often led to jams and even accidents,” said another resident, adding that the completion of the widening work will ensure smoother movement of both passenger and goods vehicles.
Officials from the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department said that the project had been under consideration for a long time and its completion will now ease connectivity between multiple villages and the industrial estate at Lassipora.
The widened road is expected not only to benefit fruit growers but also to enhance the overall economic activity in the region by providing easier access to the industrial hub.
