Anantnag, Dec 31: The residents of South Kashmirs’ Anantnag District have expressed serious concern over the continued neglect of the Anantnag–Doru–Verinag (ADV) Road, alleging that the vital stretch has been left out of recent infrastructure development despite major improvements in road connectivity across Kashmir over the past several years.
The Shahabad Development Forum- a civil society group has welcomed the visible improvement in road infrastructure across the region over the last five to six years, calling it unprecedented and transformative. However, they stated that amid this progress, one crucial stretch—the Anantnag–Doru–Verinag (ADV) road—continues to remain neglected, triggering strong reactions from locals, tourists and civil society groups.
Locals living along the Anantnag–Doru–Verinag corridor say they face daily hardships due to the narrow width of the road, frequent traffic congestion, and safety risks, particularly during peak hours while this road leads to tourist spot veering and GMC Anantnag campus at Dialgam . Residents described the road as a crucial link for commuters, traders, students, and emergency services.
Calling the road a “basic development necessity,” the Forum said that infrastructure growth must be inclusive and should not leave certain regions behind. It urged the government to accord priority to the widening and upgradation of the ADV Road, terming it an urgent public requirement.
The Shahabad Development Forum have also raised serious concerns over the continued neglect of the Anantnag-Dooru-Veerinag road, describing it as a lifeline that has been left behind while development has moved forward elsewhere.
According to locals, the road in question was constructed nearly six decades ago and has seen no meaningful widening or upgradation since then, despite a sharp increase in population, traffic, and economic activity.
“We are surprised and appreciative of how much road connectivity has improved across Kashmir in recent years. But it is painful to see that the Anantnag–Doru–Verinag road appears to have been forgotten,” said a representative of a local civil society group. “Are we not part of this region? Are we not entitled to the same development?”
Residents say that daily commuters—students, patients, traders, and office-goers—face immense hardship due to the narrow and deteriorating condition of the road. Frequent traffic jams, safety risks, and delays have become part of everyday life. Locals argue that the situation is especially alarming given that roads are the backbone of development and essential for social and economic mobility.
In a collective appeal, civil society groups have questioned the elected representatives, particularly the local MLA, over the apparent lack of action. “Why has this road not been taken up for widening? Why was it never discussed seriously in official or board meetings? Why are other projects being prioritised over such a basic and urgent public necessity?” the groups asked.
Calling the ADV road “the vein of development” for the region, the residents stressed that infrastructure development should be equitable and inclusive. “This is not a favour we are asking for; it is our right. Development should not bypass entire communities,” one protestor said.
The civil society groups have urged the government to take immediate cognisance of the issue and initiate the widening and upgradation of the Anantnag–Doru–Verinag road without further delay. They emphasised that addressing this long-pending demand would not only ease public hardship but also restore faith among people that development truly reaches every corner of the region.
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