Ganderbal, July 13: Residents of Baba Darya Din in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district came together to repair dangerous potholes on the Nagbal–Baba Darya Din Ziyarat link road using gravel, stones and cement, ensuring safer movement for commuters and preventing accidents.
The residents said the road has remained in a dilapidated condition for a long time, posing a serious risk to motorists, school-going children, pedestrians and patients. With no immediate response from the concerned authorities, locals voluntarily collected construction material and carried out temporary repairs to make the road motorable.
The residents appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the concerned department to immediately undertake the macadamisation of the entire Nagbal Khalmullah Baba Darya Din Ziyarat link road, saying temporary repairs cannot replace proper road infrastructure.
Driver Sahil Ahmad said the damaged road has become a daily challenge for commuters. Driving on this road has become extremely difficult. Deep potholes damage vehicles and increase the risk of accidents, especially during rain. We repaired a few patches ourselves, but the government must macadamise the road without any further delay,” he said.
Local resident Danish Ahmad said the people had no option but to take matters into their own hands. We repeatedly requested the authorities to repair the road, but nothing was done. Finally, the residents united and filled the potholes to ensure public safety. However, this is only a temporary solution. We need a proper, long-lasting road,” he said.
Another resident, Gowhar Ahmad, said the poor condition of the road has affected everyday life and movement in the area. This road connects several localities and is used by devotees visiting Baba Darya Din Ziyarat, besides students, employees and other commuters. It deserves immediate attention. We hope the government will fulfil our genuine demand,” he said.
Apart from the deteriorating road, residents also highlighted the lack of reliable mobile connectivity in the area. They said network coverage remains extremely weak, while several mobile service providers do not function at all in many parts of the locality, creating serious inconvenience during emergencies and disrupting communication.
Student Mohd Faisal said poor mobile connectivity has become a major hurdle for students. We face serious problems while attending many online classes, downloading study material and even making basic phone calls. Sometimes there is no network at all. The government should improve mobile connectivity in our area at the earliest,” he said.
The residents urged the CM Omar Abdullah and administration to take immediate measures to macadamise the Nagbal–Khalmullah Baba Darya Din Ziyarat link road and strengthen mobile network infrastructure so that people no longer have to struggle with poor roads and inadequate communication facilities. They expressed hope that the authorities would address these long-pending issues on priority to improve the quality of life in the area.
