BANDIPORA: "We cut down our apple trees for this road. We gave our orchard land for this road project. Why? We were promised good connectivity and a better road. But what is the use? The road has been left incomplete for two years, and no one is ready to listen to us," laments Rayees Ahmad Lone, a resident of Bandipora district.
He revealed that about 15 orchard owners voluntarily gave up parts of their land for the road, without getting any compensation. More than 30 apple trees were felled down for the purpose.
Dreams Sacrificed for Broken Promises
For over a year and a half, the people of Bandipora district have been waiting for road projects under the NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) scheme to be completed. Their wait continues as construction work on many roads remains unfinished, causing growing frustration and anger among residents.
In Aloosa block, the 1.5-kilometer road connecting PMGSY Halamatpora to Peer Baba Ziyarat Hasrat Sultan-e-Arifeen Binilipora sits in disrepair.
"It is very difficult to walk on this road when it rains. Neither can a car drive on it, nor can a person walk properly. We request the authorities to complete the work on this road as soon as possible," says Sajad Ahmad Lone, a local resident.
The residents' frustration is palpable as they've watched their sacrifice go to waste. Despite giving up their orchards for the promised development, they've been left with an unfinished road that has made their daily lives more difficult rather than easier.
Administrative Neglect
Another resident, Umar Farooq, expresses his anger toward the R&B department: "This road is just 1.5 km long, yet the R&B department has failed to complete its construction in a complete one and half years. This reflects how poorly our department is working."
Villagers have approached the concerned department multiple times to inquire about the slow progress, but their concerns have been ignored.
"We went to the R&B department many times and asked why the work on this road is progressing so slowly. But they listen with one ear and let it out the other. No one takes our issue seriously," says Ghulam Nabi Lone, a local resident.
More Unfinished Roads, More Struggles
Another road that remains unfinished is the 3-kilometer stretch from Ganie Mohalla Aloosa to Halamatpora. This road was supposed to ease transportation for locals, but administrative delays and slow execution have left the work incomplete.
"The road was supposed to make travel easier, but instead, it has become a big problem for us," says Aijaz Ahmad, a local resident.
The incomplete roads create significant hardships, especially during bad weather. "When it rains and the road is slippery, it becomes very difficult for vehicles, the elderly, and children to travel on this road," explains a local resident.
Daily Struggles and Emergency Concerns
For residents of Peer Baba Ziyarat Hasrat Sultan-e-Arifeen Binilipora and nearby areas, these unfinished roads have turned daily travel into a nightmare. During rains, the roads become muddy and slippery, making passage nearly impossible for both vehicles and pedestrians.
"We were promised a well-constructed road, but after one and half years, the situation is still the same. In fact, it's getting worse. During emergencies, it becomes a major problem as ambulances and other vehicles cannot pass through," explains Ghulam Hassan, a local resident.
The poor road conditions affect everyone – students struggling to reach school, patients unable to access healthcare, and elderly people who can barely navigate the treacherous paths.
"We have knocked on every possible door, from local representatives to district officials, but nothing has changed. It feels like we are being neglected," says Abdul Rashid, another resident.
Impact on Local Economy
The inadequate road infrastructure has severely impacted local businesses, farmers, and transporters. Farmers who depend on these roads to transport their produce to markets face financial losses due to transportation difficulties. Local shopkeepers and traders complain that customers now prefer to visit areas with better roads, hurting their livelihoods.
Unfinished Roads Leave Bandipora Residents Stranded Despite Government Contracts
"We cut down our apple trees for this road. We gave our orchard land for this road project. Why? We were promised good connectivity and a better road. But what is the use? The road has been left incomplete for two years, and no one is ready to listen to us," laments Rayees Ahmad Lone, a resident of Bandipora district.
Dreams Sacrificed for Broken Promises
For over a year and a half, the people of Bandipora district have been waiting for road projects under the NABARD scheme to be completed. Their wait continues as construction work on many roads remains unfinished, causing growing frustration and anger among residents.
In Aloosa block, the 1.5-kilometer road connecting PMGSY Halamatpora to Peer Baba Ziyarat Hasrat Sultan-e-Arifeen Binilipora sits in disrepair. Local residents sacrificed their precious orchard land, cutting down apple trees that provided their livelihood, all for a better road that never materialized.
"It is very difficult to walk on this road when it rains. Neither can a car drive on it, nor can a person walk properly. We request the authorities to complete the work on this road as soon as possible," says Sajad Ahmad Lone, a local resident.
The residents' frustration is palpable as they've watched their sacrifice go to waste. Despite giving up their orchards for the promised development, they've been left with an unfinished road that has made their daily lives more difficult rather than easier.
Administrative Neglect
Another resident, Umar Farooq, expresses his anger toward the R&B department: "This road is just 1.5 km long, yet the R&B department has failed to complete its construction in a complete one and half years. This reflects how poorly our department is working."
Villagers have approached the concerned department multiple times to inquire about the slow progress, but their concerns have been ignored.
"We went to the R&B department many times and asked why the work on this road is progressing so slowly. But they listen with one ear and let it out the other. No one takes our issue seriously," says Ghulam Nabi Lone, a local resident.
More Unfinished Roads, More Struggles
Another road that remains unfinished is the 3-kilometer stretch from Ganie Mohalla Aloosa to Halamatpora. This road was supposed to ease transportation for locals, but administrative delays and slow execution have left the work incomplete.
"The road was supposed to make travel easier, but instead, it has become a big problem for us," says Aijaz Ahmad, a local resident.
The incomplete roads create significant hardships, especially during bad weather. "When it rains and the road is slippery, it becomes very difficult for vehicles, the elderly, and children to travel on this road," explains a local resident.
Daily Struggles and Emergency Concerns
For residents of Peer Baba Ziyarat Hasrat Sultan-e-Arifeen Binilipora and nearby areas, these unfinished roads have turned daily travel into a nightmare. During rains, the roads become muddy and slippery, making passage nearly impossible for both vehicles and pedestrians.
"We were promised a well-constructed road, but after one and half years, the situation is still the same. In fact, it's getting worse. During emergencies, it becomes a major problem as ambulances and other vehicles cannot pass through," explains Ghulam Hassan, a local resident.
The poor road conditions affect everyone – students struggling to reach school, patients unable to access healthcare, and elderly people who can barely navigate the treacherous paths.
"We have knocked on every possible door, from local representatives to district officials, but nothing has changed. It feels like we are being neglected," says Abdul Rashid, another resident.
Impact on Local Economy
The inadequate road infrastructure has severely impacted local businesses, farmers, and transporters. Farmers who depend on these roads to transport their produce to markets face financial losses due to transportation difficulties. Local shopkeepers and traders complain that customers now prefer to visit areas with better roads, hurting their livelihoods.
Missed Project Deadlines
Under NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) schemes, particularly the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), road projects have specific timelines based on their size. Small road projects should be completed within 6 to 12 months, medium-sized projects within 12 to 18 months, and large projects within 18 to 24 months or more. Both incomplete Bandipora roads fall under the small road projects category, meaning they should have been finished long ago.
"These two roads fall under small road projects and should have been completed within 6 to 12 months according to the general timeline. Unfortunately, one and a half years have passed, but they're still incomplete," said Sara Begum, a local panchayat ward member. This prolonged delay well beyond the standard NABARD timeline highlights the extent of administrative failure in executing these vital infrastructure projects.
Questions of Accountability
The lengthy delays have raised serious concerns about the efficiency of the executing agencies and the administration's commitment to timely development. Locals claim that despite funds being allocated under the NABARD scheme, delays in execution and alleged mismanagement have stalled the projects.
"It has been one and half years now. If the authorities had worked sincerely, these roads would have been completed long ago. The contractors and officials must be held accountable for this delay," demands a local resident.
Many residents believe that active monitoring by authorities could have prevented these delays. The lack of oversight has allowed the situation to deteriorate without consequences for those responsible.
Official documents reveal that these road projects were formally tendered by the Office of the Executive Engineer R&B Division Bandipora under the NABARD RIDF-XXIX scheme. The e-tender notice (NIT No.94 of 2023-24/BANDIPORA/5089-94, dated 25-11-2023) shows that the government had allocated substantial funds for these projects:
1. The upgrade of various roads, including the Sheikh Muqam Aloosa and Ganie Mohalla to Halmatpora route, was budgeted at Rs. 625.29 lakhs (Rs. 6.25 crore), with a maintenance component of Rs. 56.84 lakhs for five years.
2. The widening of the link road from PMGSY road to Mohalla Daki Ketson and Aloosa Sheikh muqam, Ganie Mohalla Halmatpora was allocated Rs. 421.89 lakhs (Rs. 4.21 crore), including Rs. 38.35 lakhs for maintenance.
What's particularly concerning is that according to the tender terms, contractors were required to begin work within seven days of receiving the allotment. If they failed to start on time, the contract would be automatically canceled. Additionally, contractors were obligated to document the start and completion of work with geo-tagged photographs—indicating that the government had systems in place to monitor progress, which apparently weren't utilized effectively.
Empty Promises
Residents say they have repeatedly approached local representatives, district officials, and concerned departments, but their complaints have been ignored. Officials make promises that are never kept.
"Whenever we raise our concerns, we are given false promises. They keep telling us the work will be completed soon, but nothing happens. We feel betrayed," says Bashir Ahmad, a local resident.
Local representatives, whom villagers voted for in hopes of better infrastructure, have failed to deliver. "We expected development, but we are only facing disappointment. If the authorities do not take immediate action, we will have no option but to protest on the roads," warns Mohd Shafi, a local resident.
Calls for Immediate Action
The affected residents are now demanding urgent intervention from the district administration. They want authorities to ensure contractors complete the projects without further delays and hold those responsible for the delays accountable.
"We don't want more promises. We want action. The work must be completed as soon as possible," insists Mohammad Shafi, another resident.
Administration's Response
When contacted, Mohd Hussain, Executive Engineer, R&B Division Bandipora, explained, "Due to the harsh winter, the department officially stopped construction on the NABARD Road Project.”
Over a month ago, he said that the weather is improving, and construction on these roads will resume in the beginning of April. But it didn’t. The resumption of work was further put on hold in view of the recent disturbances caused by the India-Pakistan confrontation in the last three weeks.
With the situation now calm, Hussain is hopeful that it may finally begin in a few days.
According to officials, there are five roads under this project. Sheikh Muqum Road was mistakenly included in this tender, as it was already completed in 2020 under another project. As for the remaining two roads, construction work is currently ongoing, and the program is being implemented on these roads.
On the Halmatpora to Ziyarat Hazrat Sultan-ul-Arifeen road in Binlipora, most of the work on safety walls, subgrade, sub-base, and base layer construction is still pending.
According to an official from the R&B Department, only 20% of the work on the PMGSY Halmatpora to Peer Baba Ziyarat Hazrat Sultan-ul-Arifeen Binlipora road has been completed, while 80% remains pending. On the Ganie Mohalla Aloosa to Halmatpora road, 40% of the work has been completed, with 60% remains pending.
Contract Terms Reveal Maintenance Requirements
The tender documents also reveal that these roads were not just meant to be built and forgotten. The contracts included a five-year maintenance component, with 10% of the tendered cost specifically reserved for "Routine Maintenance of road including pavement, roadside cross drainages including surface drains to the required standard to keep the entire road surface and structure in defect free condition."
This maintenance requirement explains why villagers feel particularly aggrieved—the roads were not only supposed to be properly constructed but also maintained in good condition for five years afterward. The contracts specified a Defect Liability Period of five years from the completion date, during which contractors would be responsible for correcting any defects.
Further safeguards in the contract included performance security that would only be released after the successful completion of the five-year Defect Liability Period. The tender terms also specified that 50% of the normal deposit would be released only after successful completion of the second year, and the remaining 50% after the third year—indicating that long-term quality was supposed to be ensured.
Despite these detailed contractual protections, residents continue to suffer on incomplete, poorly maintained roads—raising serious questions about enforcement of contract terms and accountability within the system.
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