In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, residents of Khanpora in Baramulla have raised serious concerns over the safety of their homes due to construction of a bypass road nearby residential structures.According to Kashmir Media Service, several houses situated just a few yards below the bypass stretch are at risk of damage due to the ongoing construction activity.Residents said that continued heavy construction has shaken the foundations of their houses and increased the risk of landslides in the area.

The uncertainty over the safety of their homes has left them anxious, with many struggling to sleep amid fears that their houses could sustain further damage.“Some houses have already developed minor cracks, and the area has become vulnerable to landslides. We are living under constant fear that our residential houses could be damaged,” said Dilshada, a local woman.” The ongoing heavy work has shaken the foundations of our houses, and we fear they could suffer extensive damage,” said Mohammad Ashraf, a resident.

The affected families said they had shifted from densely populated areas of Khanpora and invested lakhs of rupees in constructing their houses, with several families borrowing money from banks. The ongoing work has turned their houses into a source of constant anxiety rather than a place of security. Ashraf said the families had submitted several representations to the Baramulla district administration seeking intervention, but their grievances have not been addressed.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)