Srinagar, Sept. 12, KDC: The execution of the Ajas–Charawan road project under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) has sparked concern and resentment among local residents after a newly constructed retaining wall collapsed along the hill slope, even as portions of the project remain stalled due to an interim order by the High Court.
Visuals from the initial stretch of the road show that a major portion of the stone-and-concrete retaining wall recently sheared off and tumbled into the gorge below, leaving longitudinal fissures and cracks along the edge of the unpaved surface. The failure occurred during the initial stage of construction, drawing immediate scrutiny from villagers who had already voiced reservations about the manner in which the project was being pushed forward.
Concerns among the villagers have intensified as field workers began rebuilding the collapsed portion. Ground footage recorded by locals reveals laborers laying iron reinforcement mesh over uneven mounds of raw earth and loosely hand-packing dry, jagged rocks beneath the grid. Observers at the site pointed out that the rebar framework is resting directly on unbonded rubble without adequate compaction or mortar filling, leaving gaping hollow pockets underneath the steel structure.
“Anyone can reach down with their bare hands and pull loose stones right out from under the steel mesh,” a local resident said while documenting the patchwork. “There is neither proper foundation depth nor adequate cement binding the base. If a retaining wall built just days ago collapses without any vehicle ever driving on it, how is it supposed to support passenger traffic and heavy transport once the road is operational?”
The structural failure comes on the back of serious legal challenges surrounding the road. Only recently, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh stepped in to protect the land holdings of nine residents from Ajas village. The petitioners had approached the court alleging that the PMGSY department was attempting to take over their private property without formal land acquisition or compensation under the pretext of seeking an “amicable solution.” Presiding over the matter, Justice Rahul Bharti observed that a prima facie case was established and ordered that the land under the disputed survey numbers shall not be appropriated for the road until further orders.
With one section of the alignment frozen under court directives and the accessible stretch already experiencing structural collapse, residents have appealed to the Bandipora district administration and higher PMGSY authorities to intervene immediately.
Villagers have demanded an impartial technical inquiry into the quality of materials and execution standards, urging officials to halt makeshift repairs until qualified engineers inspect the site and ensure the slope is stabilized according to established civil engineering specifications. (KDC)
