Shopian: The overhead barricades installed by the Roads and Buildings Department at the entry points of Shopian town keep being broken, without any trace of the vandals and without any purpose served by the barricades at all.
These overhead barriers were installed to prevent heavy vehicles from entering the town, so that the problem of traffic jams in the town could be managed.
The plan has not worked, with the barricades rendered unusable and heavy vehicles entering the town without any hesitation, keeping the traffic jams very much in their place.
Residents of Shopian town told Kashmir Reader that even the barricades which were installed in the interiors of the town were damaged by unknown people, “with the use of some machinery”.
They said that one day the employees of Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department repaired the steel barricades but the next day they were found damaged again.
According to an official, lakhs of rupees were spent on the installation of these barricades which were meant for the relief of the general public. “I don’t know who damages things which are meant for public relief,” he said.
Executive Engineer, R&B Department Shopian, Muhammad Ayub told Kashmir Reader that overloaded heavy vehicles damage these barricades during night hours. “So far there is no report of any particular person involved. Some people lack the sense of responsibility, which is why they are doing so,” he said, adding that action will be taken against any person involved if such a report comes.
He declined to comment on the expenditure incurred on the installation of these overhead barricades. “We have been tasked to only repair them,” he said.

Raashid Hassan