Hajin: The apple growers of Hajin and Vijpara area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Saturday expressed gratitude to the district administration for repairing the road from Hajin to Vijpara passing through the orchards.
Kashmir Reader had reported the issue and highlighted the dilapidated condition of Hajin to Vijpara which was causing inconvenience to the fruit growers.
In response, the district administration Bandipora came into action on the ground and redressed the issue in time.
As per the apple growers, R&B and PMGSY have started the process of repairing this all-important road leading to orchards, after 30 years.
The road from Hajin to Vijpara passing through the orchards was in shambles since its establishment which was causing inconvenience to the apple growers while plucking apples during the season.
Manzoor Ahmad, an apple grower, said he is very happy and thankful to the Kashmir Reader for raising this issue to know the ground reality about the road and talking to the concerned officials.
I also thank the Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Dr Owais Ahmad, Nodal Officer Bandipora Mohammad Ashraf Hakak, Chairman Municipal Committee Hajin Irshad Ahmad Wani, Imtiyaz Parray, R&B, Sarpanch Javid Ahmad, Secretary Panchayat Mohammad Zafrullah for this positive step.
The fruit growers said they had brought the issue to the attention of several authorities, including the DDC, Sarpanchs, former MLA, and the concerned department, but no concrete action was taken in the last thirty years.
The road, as per Manzoor Ahmad, has never been maintained since its establishment, causing significant inconvenience to the farmers. He said that during the apple plucking season, they were forced to transport boxes on their shoulders from orchards to their homes because transporters are unwilling to run on the road.
“We are thankful to the Kashmir Reader team for raising this issue with the administration which has now started the process of maintaining the road,” he said.

GOWHAR MAQBOOL