The residents of Awantipora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district staged a protest on Saturday, voicing their grievances over construction restrictions along the road leading to the newly constructed AIIMS Awantipora.
The protesters, who gathered near the construction site, condemned what they called an unjust refusal by local authorities to allow them to build structures along the road.
Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the protesters said the administration’s ban on construction was unfair, especially given that they had already provided land for both AIIMS and the nearby Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Awantipora.
“Many people have lost their businesses and livelihoods due to the widening of the road. If we are allowed to build, it will provide us with a chance to restart our businesses and support our families,” one protester said.
The protest was led by Lateef Ahmad Bhat, Chairperson of the Tehsil Welfare Committee, who expressed strong discontent with the administration.
“We have made immense sacrifices for the construction of AIIMS and IUST. We gave our land for the greater good, but now, when we ask for permission to build on our own land, we are being denied. If the authorities continue to refuse, we may be forced to migrate, and they should purchase our land if they no longer want us here,” Bhat said.
The protest was also joined by the PDP MLA from Tral, Rafiq Ahmad Naik. “The residents have the right to build on their own land which should not be compromised, especially after they had already contributed to the construction of major infrastructure projects like AIIMS and IUST,” he said.
“We will knock on every door, from local to national authorities, until this issue is resolved. The government must reconsider its stance and ensure justice for the affected families,” the MLA said.
The protest continued with locals demanding immediate intervention by higher authorities to address their concerns and grant them the necessary permissions for construction—(KNO)