Blame PDP-BJP Govt for halting work, Seek immediate action from current administration
Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu, (DD) The stalled Poonch-Loran to Tangmarg road project became a focal point in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today, as MLA Poonch Ajaz Jan and MLA Gulmarg Farooq Shah demanded its immediate resumption.
Raising the issue in the House, the legislators highlighted that the project was initially launched in 2012-13 under the leadership of then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The project had received clearance from the Forest Department, thanks to the efforts of then Forest Minister Mian Altaf, who ensured proper alignment and the removal of trees along the route. The wood from these trees was later distributed among earthquake-affected families in Poonch’s Haveli area.
However, they alleged that in 2015, the PDP-BJP government disrupted the project, altering the alignment due to the influence of vested interests. This decision led to the complete halt of construction work, causing immense inconvenience to the people of Pir Panjal and delaying a crucial connectivity lifeline.
Speaking in the Assembly, MLA Ajaz Jan urged the government to allocate necessary funds and restart construction without further delay. Both Jan and Farooq Shah accused the previous government of neglecting the Pir Panjal region, stressing that under CM Omar Abdullah’s leadership, the project must now be prioritized.
They also called for strict legal action against those responsible for derailing the project, demanding accountability for the hardships faced by the local population.
In response, Minister Surinder Choudhary assured the House that the matter would be taken up seriously, and necessary steps would be initiated to resume and complete the Poonch-Loran to Tangmarg Road project at the earliest.(DD)
