Seven years on, Chanderkote-Swani road, still a distant dream

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 21: Contradictory to the tall claims of state government to connect every nook and corner of the state, people of village Swani under district Ramban were still cut off from other parts of the district, owing to the casual approach of the Public Works Department (PWD).

According to the sources, from the past about eight years the PWD R&B Department with the financial help of NABARD scheme has started the work of seven kilometer Chanderkote-Swani road in district Ramban, but due to the negligent attitude of the department the work is still on snail's pace.

Sources further said that work was approved at the estimated cost of Rs 407.09 Crore including the construction of road and compensation of land.

"Only few people got meager compensation which also is a cause of concern for the people whose land was acquired for the seven kilometer track" sources added.
Ex Sarpanch Chanderkote, Dharam Chand Anthal said that in year 2010 the concerned department started the work of cutting from first two km, but from the last five year the work has been stopped by the department.

"Now the department has resumed work from last three months but no load carriers or Cutting machines have been engaged" he said.

A local, Kuljeet Rajput said that the revenue department is the main culprit in the whole process of road construction who started without any proper survey of the said area, due to which the land started sliding creating a life threat for the residents.

He maintained that the first priority of the concerned department would be providing compensation to the land owners after which the department should engage specialized engineers.

Whereas the Executive Engineer PWD (R&B) Ramban Amar Singh Katoch said
"There is some dispute with the locals owing to which the work has been delayed for over seven years".

Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink

Many in Ramban don't have access to drinking water

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 21: Notwithstanding the tall claims of the state government and concerned authorities to provide basic facilities to the people at their door step, around 3000 people of Ramban are still without drinking water facilities.

Every year the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department of the state government celebrate World Water Day on 22 March, but fails to provide clean drinking water to thousands of people.

According to sources, the concerned department had projected a plan of installation of a filtration plant for Ramban tehsil in 1977, but after the lapse of 39 year they are unable to do so putting the lives of thousands of people at stake.

Officials further said that the department had planned to cover the Ramban town in phase 1 while in second phase, area of Maitra and Government Degree College Ramban were to be covered for which department approved Rs 3.98 crore and Rs 1019.60 lacs respectively.

Officials added that for installation of filtration plant the department has issued the tenders five times but didn't get any response, due to with the work of filtration plant is still pending.

As the summer season is approaching, it would add to the troubles of school going children as around 240 government primary schools of district Ramban are without clean drinking water.

When contacted Executive Engineer (XEn) PHE Ramban, Hamesh Manchanda said Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Company (JKPCC) has just take-up the work of installation of filtration plant after the board meeting in July and if the work goes smoothly it will take nine months to complete it.

He further said that the total estimated construction cost for the filtration plant is Rs 95 lacs while cost of the approach road the is Rs 55 lacs.

NH blocked for 4th day due to sinking of land at Batote

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 20: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for the vehicular traffic on the fourth consecutive day due to the sinking of land at Batote besides other parts of the district followed by incessant downpour at several places.

Whereas the highway has been made operational for one-way traffic between Ramban and Banihal by the concern authorities but at Batote as road caves-in due to which the traffic remained suspended between Ramban-Jammu National Highway.

Official said that hundreds of vehicles in which thousands of passenger are stranded on the highway due to caving-in of around hundred metres of road near Batote town, due to which both Srinagar-Jammu and Batote-Kishtwar highways were closed.

Owing the continue land caves in Batote town of district Ramban, resulting the damaging of highway and residential houses including six houses which were completely damaged while around a dozen others, including structures inside CRPF 48 BN cantonment, due to sinking of the land. However, there was no report of loss of any life.

District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ramban Bashir Ahmed Dar reached on the spot to assess the condition of the area. District administrations assure every possible help to the families whose house get damaged.

Meanwhile, the aggrieved families alleged that the administration is not doing anything to rehabilitate them as they are under open sky from the last 24 hours.

They said that continue rainfall is adding our woes and it is very difficult for them to cope up with the situation in this bad climate whereas the district administration has not offer any kind to help in rehabilitating.

DDC Ramban said that the administration is on work with the help of men and machine to clear the highway and successful open the road for vehicular traffic, but unfortunately the land near Batote start sinking from yesterday night due to which the highway between Ramban-Jammu again blocked.

He further said that if weather remains dry it will take two more hour to clear the road adding that after which the passengers and tourists who were stranded in district Ramban will allowed to moved to their destination.

He maintained the traffic officials’ daily announced the current status of the national highway, but the people overhear the announcements of the concern department and start their journey due to which the create problem not for them but for others too.

“Our first priority is to make sure that the stranded passengers will reach their destination safely after that the administration will allow the vehicular traffic from both side on national highway” DDC added.

National Highway closed for third consecutive day

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 19: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained blocked for the vehicular traffic for the third day today following the landslides triggered by overnight incessant downpour at several places.

 

The downpour had resulted into landslides at several places and sinking of the road at some places like Tringla, Batote, Dhalwas, Nashri etc. However till last reports came in the landslides at Nashri, Peerah, Kunfar Chandekote, Mehad, Seri, Marog, Battery Cheshma, Khooni Nullah, Magarakote, Panthyal etc. and the landslides were being cleared at Gangroo and Hingni by the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) officials.

Though, after the resumption of vehicular traffic on NH44 at 1:30 PM yesterday, all the stranded passenger vehicles were cleared by late evening yesterday when it was again stopped making some of the Srinagar bound small and big load carriers to remain stranded between Ramban and Chanderkote.

Owing the bad weather condition and continue rainfall telephone cable also get damaged at different places of district Ramban due to which the broadband services was affected for the whole day whereas the BSNL mobile and landlines also not working.

Some of the drivers of load carriers carrying poultry and vegetables were seen selling of their commodities at throw-away prices to the locals out of distress.

When contacted District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ramban Bashir Ahmed Dar, at Bohardhar Neel a house was collapsed due to the overnight downpour where three families were evacuated to three tents provided by the district administration today morning. Some houses have been reportedly damaged in Mohu Mangat area in Khari tehsil of Banihal area. Due to lightening on a cow shed belonging to Mohd Iqbal at Dharamkund, three cows at two calves were killed. More reports of damages from different remote areas of the district have been pouring in since last reports came in.

 

Sarpanch Rajgarh, Mohd. Shafi said that the standing crop of mustard was damaged badly due to the overnight hailstorm and the Chanderkote-Rajghar link-road was also blocked at several places due to the landslides.

One way traffic' allowed on NH-1A to clear standard vehicles

One dead after being hit by big boulder on NH-1A near Battery Cheshma

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 18: The Traffic authorities today allowed one way traffic on every busy Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which was closed for the landslides triggered after heavy rainfall in district Ramban and today was opened partially to clear the stranded vehicles to their respective destinations.

 

While talking to Early Times Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic Ramban Sanjay Kotwal said that Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was blocked yesterday near Battery Cheshma, Panthial, Gangroo and Ramsoo on Ramban-Banihal highway of district Ramban after the landslides were triggered on various places along highway due to heavy rainfall from the past some days.

"Today early morning due to heavy landslide at Chanderkote near Kunfar Nullah, Batote-Ramban highway also closed for around five hours," said SSP (Traffic), further adding, "fresh landslide has been witnessed at Nashri area, but machines are on work to clear the highway."

"Restoration work on national highway is going on. Men and machinery are on job. There will be no fresh movement of traffic on the national highway either from Srinagar or Jammu. Only stranded vehicles are being allowed," Traffic official specifically added.

 

He said, "Around 550 light motor vehicles have been moved on towards Srinagar which was stranded from yesterday evening at Ramban whereas around 2000 light motor vehicles for Jammu have been permitted to move.

"While trucks and other heavy vehicles will also be cleared after light vehicles" he said.

Meanwhile, a driver was found dead on Friday a day after he was hit by a big boulder on National Highway near Battery Cheshma area of district Ramban.

The deceased was identified as Ayaz Ahmed son of Abdul Qayoom Wani who went missing last evening after a boulder hit him. Volunteers and QRT team launched a rescue operation and recovered his body this morning.

Army today rescued around 250 civilians stranded on Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district.

 

"With the incessant and heavy rains again wrecking havoc in the Chenab Valley region, the passengers on the National Highway were again at the receiving end due to road blockage," S N Acharya, officiating defence spokesperson here said.

He said Jammu-Srinagar Highway remained blocked at areas Ramsu, Painthal, Sherbibi and Gangroo due to massive landslides that occurred due to heavy rains.

"Stranded passengers faced hardships due to road closure and non availability of basic amenities," he said, adding that to provide succour to the aggrieved passengers, Rashtriya Rifles Battalion under Delta Force located at Nachlana mobilised resources to provide meals and other allied facilities on the spot.

A column of Delta Force of almost 100 troops reached the landslide area and almost 30 families stranded with 100 males, 30 females and 30 children were evacuated to the nearest Rashtriya Rifles camp, said the spokesman adding, "around 250 passengers were provided meals, drinking water and emergency medical aid".

"Delta Force is providing relief to as many stranded passengers as possible, especially elders, ladies and children in the camps nearby," he added and said the relief will continue till the time road opens."

Harshita Paul, 16,a resident of Kolkata, who was coming back with her parents from Srinagar towards Jammu after a wonderful trip, got stranded with her family for almost 10 hours without any food and water.

She said, "We were given hot food and warm blankets by the army after we were evacuated from the site". The prompt response and goodwill gesture was appreciated by the locals and the stranded passengers.

Drivers condemns alleged harassment at the hands of Cop

Tahir Mushtaq

Ramban, Mar 14: Misusing the power of authority authorized under uniform, a police officer allegedly harassed many drivers on road and also seized several commercial vehicles besides thrashing some vehicles owners' reason best known to him.

While talking to media a victim of atrocities of this police officer Khalil Ahmed (driver ) said that while waiting for the passenger at Ramsoo stop on Makarkote -Banihal road, the alleged SHO seized my vehicle and thrashed me reasons better known to the said officer.

Another aggrieved driver Kuldeep Singh humming similar tones shared the same story of odd ordeal at the hands of the same police officers. He also alleged that the police officer had also thrashed him out of the vehicle and seized vehicle without any reason.

Other drivers also alleged that the parking area has been encroached by the shopkeepers who had dumped their material and had squeezed the road to a narrow lane resulting difficult to park or steer the vehicle but the police is not taking any step against the illegal encroachment by the traders but is only harassing transporters/ drivers.

Meanwhile the Transporters and Driver Association (TDA) has submitted a memorandum to the District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ramban Bashir Ahmed Dar in this regard and has requested him to take stream step against this act. DDC Ramban Bashir Ahmed Dar said that I will look into the matter personally. He ordered the SDM Ramsoo in written to initiate a enquiry about the whole incident".

Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ramsoo Ravi Thakur while talking to Early Times told that the administration has allotted a particular parking space for the commercial vehicles to avoid any eventuality as the road is very congested creating troubles for the passerby especially to the school going children,. He said that some drivers violate the order and park their vehicles in the middle of the road due to which the SHO Ramsoo seized some vehicles.

Security beefed up along National Highway

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 10: Some states of the country have directed to be alert in view of warning inputs provided by the intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan.

According to which there is a possibility of militant attack in some bordering state like Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujrat, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi.

Security has beefed up on all the check points in and around the district Ramban after inputs from theintelligence agencies.

While talking to Rising Kashmir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban, Randeep Kumar said that the security grid has been increased in the district with additional deployment of troops and raised checkpoints at all the sensitive locations.

He further said that the police department does not want to leave any loophole in context with the security, so the personnel have been directed to maintain vigil and tighten security within the district from Jawahar Tunnel to Patnitop.

“In district, police nakas were also setup on link roads and round up of forces were also made in the upper reaches and peripheral areas especially in hotels and lodges which are nearby national highway of the district” he said.

SSP maintained that from the last long time many encounters were done by security forces in south Kashmir, keeping in view same topography of the area with district Ramban, the police department has taking some initiatives to intensify security measures in the district.

He impressed upon the owner of hotels and lodges to keep vigilant and maintain the record on daily basis of every visitor.