Asif Iqbal Naik
Jammu September 25:
After repeated request and pleas made to the Government and District Administration goes to deaf ears, the local inhabitants of Marwah after getting fail to get the Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag-Marwah road open for vehicular movement had now finally knock the doors of Jammu and Kashmir High Court for seeking directions to the Government and District Administration Kishtwar to make the road available for vehicular movement for the general public.
As per the details available with “JKNT”, 65 year old Ghulam Rasool Magray S/o Ghulam Mohammad Magray R/o Nowpachi Marwah, Tehsil Marwah, District Kishtwar through Advocate Nazi mud Din Qazi had filled Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in J&K High Court along with an application for the grant of interim relief from High Court which is sure to succeed on merits sighting that the matter involved in the PIL as also in the application for grant of interim relief is of emergent nature and in case the PIL along with application for interim relief is not taken up for consideration at an earliest, the very purpose of filing the petition shall become in-fructuous and the petitioner shall suffer an irreparable loss and injury. In view of the submissions made hereinabove, it is, therefore, prayed that the PIL along with application for interim relief may kindly be taken up for consideration at the earliest in the interest of the justice.
In the PIL, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir through its Chief Secretary, Civil Secretariat, Jammu/Srinagar, National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation through Executive Director (FAA) NHIDCL, Sector-6, Channi Himmat, Jammu. and Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar has been made the party.
The petitioner stated that the people of Marwah and Wadwan who constitute a 28 thousand population of district Kishtwar have been bared to travel through Sinthan-Kishtwar road added that these people have travel all the way from Anantnag, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar via Banihal highway covering more than 300 KM of journey which can covered in few hours if Sinthan top is opened for commuters.
The petitioner stated that these poor people are deprived of genuine right to dignified life due to failure and utter dismay of district Administration who have kept the road blocked for more than 5 months now without any justification.
On 05-09-2020, the petitioner have approached Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar to open Sinthan – Kishtwar road at an earliest but till today Deputy Commissioner is not giving any heed to the voice of the people added that the petitioner and inhabitants of Tehsil Marwah are carving for the opening of Sinthan Road so that they reach the district Kishtwar in hassle free manner.
The petition in Public Interest Litigation Under Article 226 of the Constitution of India was moved for issuance of an appropriate writ, order, command or directions more particularly in the nature Commanding and directing the respondents to open the Sinthan-Kishtwar Road for the movement of the general public and public transport without any further delay. Further directing the respondents to explain why the road has remained closed for quite long time which has caused so many hardships and inconvenience for the inhabitants of the area beside that respondents be directed to submit the status report with regard to the steps undertaken by the authorities with regard to restoration and maintenance of the said road which is in dilapidated condition.
Speaking to JKNT, Ghulam Rasool Magrey said that there is huge population residing in Tehsil Marwah and Wadwan areas of District Kishtwar and the Govt. constructed a road called Sinthan-Kishtwar Road to facilitates for the people of Marwah and Wadwan which constitutes approximately 28 big villages consisting of thousands of population to reach Kishtwar– However, the said road was remained closed for winter season and in the summer season the said road was got opened for vehicular traffic only to provide basic road facilities to the people of residing in the areas of Tehsil Marwah and Wadwan.
He said that people had to travel to District Headquarter for various official works since majority of the offices sanctioned for Marwah Sub Division operates from District Headquarter.
He said that that prior to construction of the road the people of Tehsil Marwah and Kishtwar had to travel all the way from Anantnag, Banihal, Ramban and Doda Highway after covering at least 400 km to reach Kishtwar which by contraction the Sinthan Kishtwar Road is only around 180 KM. He said that the area of Tehsil Marwah and Wadwan are far flung areas added that due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Sinthan-Kishtwar Road remained closed during the summer season also without any justification and with the closure of the road, has undoubtedly brought umpteen problems especially for the poor and downtrodden section of people residing in these areas who have now to cover a long distance of 400 km through Anantnag, Banihal-Doda to reach Kishtwar which has created great hardships and problems to the thousands of people residing in these areas and demanded for immediate opening of the road.
