R&B dept red-flags road digging, asks officials to stop damaging public property

Srinagar:  Roads and Buildings Department (R&B) has red-flagged the actions of officials and engineers to dig roads in the COVID red zones across the valley.

Chief Engineer of R&B Sami Arif Yesvi told The Kashmir Monitor that they have passed instructions not to damage roads.

“We have received information from Kulgam and Chattabal about the digging of roads. We have asked the officials not to damage roads while sealing these areas and have even modified these roads” he said.

On Tuesday, many COVID-19 hotspots were sealed by the administration in Srinagar. These include Chattabal, Bemina, Sakidafar, Nowhatta, Khanyar, Chanapora, and Natipora. The authorities have sealed the areas by iron grills.

An official said these areas have been sealed to contain the spread of coronavirus in the city which has reported 70 coronavirus positive cases. 

“This is to stop further spread of coronavirus. Some roads have been kept open so that people can buy food and other essentials,” he said.

 Locals, however, criticized the government’s move claiming that blocking roads with iron blocks will hamper the movement of emergency services.

“The roads have been completely blocked and it will hamper the medical services in the area. A large number of forces have been deployed to check the violation of section 144,” Amin Ahmad, a resident of Sakidafar said