Waterlogging after snowfall adds to woes of commuters in Parigam village

PULWAMA — Immediately after the snowfall on Monday, the residents of Rajab Colony in Parigam village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have been suffering due to waterlogging on a key road, locally called as Rebtar road. The road starts from Hamzapora in the village and connects the area to Budgam district.

After the snowfall, the accumulated snow on the roadside melted completely, causing the water from melting snow to trickle down on the road and lead to waterlogging. The road has almost turned into a pond with waterlogging creating problems for vehicular traffic movement as well as for pedestrian movement.

The waterlogging problem is not confined to this particular area only but to a large number of other areas in the district. However, the severity of the problem is comparatively noticeable in Parigam’s Rajab Colony. Not only the people residing in the area but others who have to move through this area to reach other places faced difficulties.

On Thursday, the concerned authorities sent a bulldozer to de-water the road by digging a temporary drain. “However, this is not a solution to the problem as the road is already small. It needs a proper filling at the spot where waterlogging occurs,” a local, Abdul Rashid Wani, said while talking to The Kashmir Pulse.

He added that the concerned Junior Engineer (JE) who built a bridge near the spot of waterlogging kept the height of the bridge quite above the road, which ultimately led to waterlogging in the area. “When we think of going to the mosque for prayers or students wish to go to their tuition centres, they have to face a lot of problems. Most of the times, their clothes become dirty due to the muddy water on the road,” he said.

Abdul Rashid went on to say that Deputy Commissioner Pulwama did a lot for the Parigam village. “However, the waterlogging problem has been ignored and the road has been left as it is by the concerned JE,” he rued.

Another resident said that they went to the concerned JE, Asif Ahmad, multiple times but to no avail. He added, “We got mere assurances from him but the problem was never resolved,” he added.

The residents said that they also demand the widening of the road as two vehicles from opposite sides can hardly pass through the road. “One vehilcle has to make way for the other, only then the traffic can ply smoothly,” they said.

The road is in a dilapidated condition from the last 20 years, the residents claimed and demanded the immediate repairing of this road as well as widening of the same. The residents appealed the district authorities, especially Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, to take up the repairs of this road within the shortest possible time.

Meanwhile, when The Kashmir Pulse spoke to the Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Baseer-Ul-Haq Choudhary, he said that the work on this road is scheduled to be taken up in the new financial year i.e, 2023-24. He assured that the administration will redress all the grievances.