Srinagar: Stating that local roads are a vital asset and their condition supports both economic productivity and social connectivity, Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) Chairman Muhammad Yasin Khan Wednesday said the road connectivity has been dragged back to primitive times.
In a statement issued to KNO, Khan who also heads the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) said from hampering normal life to affecting economy, the bad roads have added to the reasons of miseries of the people. “There is not a single road, which is fit for human use as potholes and other ditches have made travel miserable and patients being ferried for treatment are the worst victims of this mess,” Khan said.
He said the business activities are badly affected as the roads along market places are so much in a bad shape that customers avoid visiting even the City center of Lal Chowk, Regal Chowk, Residency Road than to talk of markets elsewhere in the Valley.
“Bad roads further the traffic mess and thus customers avoid visiting markets because it takes hours to cover distance of minutes,” he said. Apart from other trouble, the wear and tear of vehicles has unduly gone up as the suspensions get damaged and also the tyres which burdens the pockets of common man. He said the government should take up road repairs on priority. Khan appealed Governor SP Malik to personally look into the matter.
The KEA Media Head Farhan Kitab said patch work alone won’t help as the roads in Srinagar in particular are in terribly bad condition. “Even if you look at the roads in Regal Chowk they give a look of some disaster having taken place,” Kitab said.
