Srinagar: The Roads and Buildings (R&B) department has been unable to complete the yearly targeted macadamisation works in Kashmir due to lack of
migrant workforce, while the temperatures have dipped making further works difficult.
The workforce fled Kashmir after August 5 during the lockdown that followed the abrogation of Article 370 by Government of India.
R&B officials says only 600 kilometers of macadamisation works have been completed against a yearly target of 1000 kilometers, while as no
mecdamization work is possible now as mercury has slipped below 25 degree Celsius.
Civil developmental works had begun late this year because of payment delays by government to contractors. Most of the work of Road and Building
department is dependent on non-local laborers workers who left the valley two month back. Kashmir has a limited work season, from April to October,
and after that no macadamisation is done as it needs high temperature.
“We have completed around 60% of the target and the work on remaining 40% will be restarted if there is rise in temperature. Due to current
situation non-local workers left the valley which is the reason we could not complete our target,” Chief engineer R&B Sami Arif said.
“Now we have hired local workers and also non-local workers are coming back to the valley. If temperature remains feasible for our macadamization
work we will work,” he further said.
Commuters in Srinagar say that many roads have been damaged by rains and wear out, and need fixing.
At Jehangir Chowk, authorities have not fixed the road damaged due to work on the flyover, making it vulnerable to accidents. Big potholes have
also cropped up near Regal Chowk, while travel on the Sonwar-Pantha Chowk road is also back breaking for both pedestrians and commuters.

NAZIMA SIDIQ