Bandipora, Sep 26: Auto rickshaw drivers in Onagam village of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district Saturday collected donations to repair the road on their own as the government failed to upgrade its conditions over the years.
Locals told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that the auto drivers collected donations from different sections of society including vehicle owner’s plying on this road and got the open patches the road filled, a few kilometres away from district headquarters.
“What we have donated may not improve the proper condition of this dilapidated road, but it will be a little easier for vehicles to travel properly on this road,” they said.
Bashir Ahmad president, auto-rickshaw drivers union said that they had informed the administration about the dilapidated condition of the road several times but nothing has been done so far which forced them to raise funds on their own.
“We have to take our vehicles to the workshop every five days because the condition of this road has damaged our vehicles a lot. They are suffering due to the indifferent attitude of the local administration towards the rural population,” he said.
He said that the concerned authorities have repaired all the dilapidated roads but they have failed to repair this road for reasons best known to them.
However, KNO has learnt that the road was handed over the department of PMGSY last year for its upgradation but after demarcation, the department has left the road unattended, thereby making locals and commuters suffer a lot.
Meanwhile, the residents appealed to the district authorities to look into the matter and carry out macadamization of the road.