Years on, remote Rajouri villages await road connectivity.

Despite launching of several flagship schemes by Central and State governments to provide all weather road connectivity to far-off areas, Sialsui Villages of Kalakote area in Rajouri District are endlessly waiting for motorable road connectivity with the rest of the world.

Riaz Choudhary (GNS)

Rajouri, 21 July.:-Residents say Maal Gujjran, Top Khalla Gala, Mako Sid, Ghai villages of Sialsui, having a population of nearly 5,000 souls, have been ignored since Independence by all the successive governments. Despite running from pillar to post, we have not been provided with the road connectivity which is considered lifeline for carrying out any developmental work in hilly areas, the locals said.

Despite launching of several flagship schemes by Central and State governments to provide all weather road connectivity to far-off areas, Sialsui villages of Kalakote area in Rajouri District are endlessly waiting for motorable road connectivity with the rest of the world.

Residents say Maal Gujjran, Top Khalla Gala, Mako Sid and Ghai villages of Sialsui area, having a population of nearly 5,000 souls, have been ignored since Independence by all the successive governments. Despite running from pillar to post, we have not been provided with the road connectivity which is considered lifeline for carrying out any developmental work in hilly areas, the locals said.

A local resident Said: “It is a long pending demand of the poor public of these area and we are struggling to get road connectivity from last so many years. Besides political representatives, we approached PMGSY and R&B departments many times but all our efforts were in vain as they turned deaf ear to our problems.” “Perhaps our only disqualification is that we are poor and belong to down trodden sections of the society”, he lamented.

They said that due to poverty and backwardness “we don’t have any influential representative or leader to fight for our cause, and our elected representatives seem to be least bothered about our problems that we are facing in absence of road connectivity”.

Another villager said that all surrounding areas are connected with road but the area has been neglected and discriminated against. “Villagers face a lot of problems due to unavailability of road and in case of any emergency, they have to cover a long distance by foot to reach the road”, he added.

“Now all over hopes of getting road connectivity are attached to Governor and we request him with folded hands to pay attention to our problems and fulfill our long pending genuine demand”, said another villager.

It is pertinent to mention that few days ago a Congress Delegation also met with advisor of the government led by Ashok Sharma Ex MLA Kalakote and a protest also organised by Youth Congress leader led by Nakul Sharma for demanding college for Moghla of Kalakote.