Banihal, September 1 (KNS) : National Conference leader and MLA Banihal-Gool, Haji Sajjad Shaheen, tuesday laid the foundation stones of four major road connectivity projects at Hinjhal, describing road connectivity as the lifeline of development and a basic prerequisite for improving the quality of life of people living in remote and hilly areas.

The projects, which fulfil long-pending demands of the local population, include Link Road Hinjhal to Bajar Basti Thandishaw via Gila Basti (1.70 km) at ?448.53 lakh; Link Road Budgam to Khoura (1.75 km) at ?410.41 lakh; Link Road Hinjhal to Gujjar Basti (3.50 km) at ?938.30 lakh; and Footbridge at Hinjhal Eidgah at ?69.26 lakh. The four projects have a combined estimated cost of approximately ?18.66 crore and are being taken up under PMGSY and the R&B Department.

Speaking on the occasion, Shaheen said that people residing in remote and difficult-to-access areas of Banihal-Gool had been facing serious hardships for decades due to inadequate road connectivity. He said the absence of proper roads had adversely affected access to education, healthcare, markets and other essential services.
“Road connectivity is not merely an infrastructure requirement; it is a lifeline for the people and a prerequisite for balanced development. Our endeavour is to ensure that no village or habitation in Banihal-Gool remains deprived of basic connectivity,” Shaheen said.

He said that approximately five dozen road projects have been approved during the last two years in the Banihal-Gool constituency under PMGSY, NABARD, UT Sector and other schemes, giving a significant boost to the road infrastructure of the constituency.

Shaheen said several other important road projects, including Makerkote-Dardahi Road, Livra-Chaknarwa Road and Ramsoo-Sarbagni Road, have also been taken up. He said work on these projects is expected to commence soon after obtaining the requisite forest clearances, the process for which is presently at the final stage.

Taking a dig at the neglect of remote areas in the past, Shaheen said that residents of several villages had been forced to endure difficult conditions for years as their genuine connectivity demands were not accorded the priority they deserved.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“For decades, people in the remotest areas continued to suffer as their long-pending demands remained unattended. We are committed to correcting this imbalance and taking development to the doorstep of every household, irrespective of how remote the habitation may be,” he said.

Referring to the broader development initiatives undertaken in Banihal-Gool during the last two years, Shaheen said significant progress had been made in road connectivity, power infrastructure, healthcare, education, public transport, tourism and other key sectors. He said augmentation of receiving stations, strengthening of power infrastructure, improvement of healthcare facilities, new educational initiatives, expansion of public transport and several other developmental projects were being taken forward to address the long-standing needs of the constituency.

Shaheen said that the government under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was committed to ensuring that every village and habitation is progressively brought into the road connectivity network and that the benefits of development reach even the remotest parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

He expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Surinder Choudhary for their support and cooperation in taking forward the developmental agenda of Banihal-Gool.
Reiterating his commitment to the people, Shaheen said that his priority would remain to accelerate development, strengthen basic infrastructure and address the genuine grievances and long-pending demands of the people of Banihal-Gool.

Executive Engineers of PMGSY and R&B, Mr Sansar Singh and Mr Mohd Iqbal Ganai, besides Abdul Gani Wani, Ilyas Ahmed Wani, Abdul Rashid Malik, Muneer Ahmed Bhat, Mohd Hanief Khan, Mukhtiar Ahmed Sheikh, Atta Mohd, Shabir Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Rayees Ahmed Khandey and Ajaz Ahmed Bhat, along with a number of local party workers and prominent citizens, were present on the occasion.(KNS)