Kulgam, Aug 1: A major portion of the Devsar–Kulgam main road in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district was left damaged on Friday evening after a contractor associated with the Jal Shakti Department carried out unauthorized excavation work to lay a water pipeline.
According to local residents, the excavation was conducted in the evening hours using a JCB machine, reportedly without obtaining any formal permission from the concerned authorities. The hasty and uncoordinated operation has sparked widespread public anger and brought to light the lack of coordination between departments involved in infrastructure works.
“Fully blacktopped and newly metalled roads have been dug up recklessly in the Devsar area. Contractors are using JCBs without any accountability, and no one knows when these roads will be restored,” said an agitated commuter.
Locals further alleged that such unauthorized road digging has become a recurring issue in Kulgam, wasting taxpayers’ money and disrupting daily life. “There must be proper oversight. The government must intervene and ensure responsible execution of developmental works,” another local added.
In response, an official from NH444 confirmed that no permission had been granted to the contractor for any road excavation work in the area. The official emphasized that damaging the main road without proper authorization violates standard operating procedures and could lead to strict action.
Residents have now appealed to district authorities to take swift action against the contractor and ensure immediate repairs of the damaged stretch to prevent inconvenience to commuters.
