Bandipora, March 24: A road constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) from Aragam to the remote tribal village of Chapran in Bandipora district is facing serious encroachments, raising concerns about public access and long-term connectivity.
The 33-feet-wide road, for which land was acquired over a decade ago, has allegedly been encroached upon by some of the same individuals who had earlier sold land for the project and received compensation. Officials said that in several locations, structures have been raised on the acquired land, while in other stretches it has reportedly been merged into private lawns and orchards.
Residents claim that the road has narrowed to as little as eight feet at certain points, creating traffic bottlenecks and posing safety risks. “The government must clearly demarcate the road land and retrieve it at the earliest. If not addressed now, this could become a major bottleneck in the future,” a local resident said.
Following media reports in June last year highlighting the issue, the Bandipora administration initiated action. The Executive Magistrate of Chittibandi identified 53 residents of Chapran village allegedly involved in encroaching upon the PMGSY road and issued eviction notices.
The notices warned residents to voluntarily remove the encroachments and obstructions, failing which the administration would carry out demolition and recover the costs from the violators.
A revenue department official stated that the encroachments were carried out despite compensation having been paid at the time of land acquisition. “The same residents received compensation for the land and later encroached upon it again,” the official said.
However, locals allege that despite issuance of notices, no concrete action has followed. “It now appears that the notices were only meant to hoodwink the public. There seems to be silence from within the department while encroachments continue,” said a resident.
Executive Engineer PMGSY Bandipora, had earlier acknowledged the issue and assured that action would be taken after verification.
The Aragam–Chapran road serves as a crucial lifeline for the tribal population of Chapran village, connecting them to essential services and markets. Locals said the Chapran belt is known for producing best cherry in the town. “Soon Cherry season is arriving and we will witness huge rush of vehicular traffic on road to carry the fruit but encroachments at many spots hinder the smooth traffic movement ”
Residents have now appealed to the Deputy Commissioner Bandipora to intervene, investigate the delay in enforcement, and fix responsibility to ensure restoration of the road to its sanctioned width.
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