Srinagar: Kashmir’s annual road-blacktopping season, which traditionally kicks off in the warm embrace of late May, has finally achieved lift-off… in August. Following a gripping 15-day standoff, the Hot Mix Plant Owners Association has graciously called off its strike, having successfully extracted the usual “we’ll look into it” assurances from the government.
While the administration breathes a sigh of relief over its stalled ₹223-crore macadamisation plan, local commuters remain fiercely skeptical. After all, trusting official promises in the Valley is a bit like trusting a sunbed forecast during a monsoon. With 559 kilometers of cratered terrain waiting for a facelift, the Roads and Buildings Department is now in a frantic race against the clock. They must outrun the notoriously brief construction season before winter arrives to reclaim the potholes. Meanwhile, residents are bracing for the inevitable: navigating a treacherous obstacle course of loose gravel, all while praying this fragile peace doesn’t hit another bump in the road.
Border villages the frontline of nation’s identity, development: LG Sinha
• Says “Road connectivity, electrification, telecom and education have transformed border areas” • “The Top four priorities are self-reliance, youth...
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