The Hindu : National : Work on Poonch-Rawalakot road begins

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Sunday, May 01, 2005

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Work on Poonch-Rawalakot road begins

Luv Puri

A 5-km stretch is bad; Army has a difficult job in de-mining the area

MENDLA (LINE OF CONTROL): The civil administration has done an initial survey, days after India and Pakistan decided to open the historic Rawalakot-Poonch road. Revenue officers and officials of the Roads & Building Department from the district were the first to reach the last point along the Line of Control, which is a stone's throw from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

This reporter of The Hindu joined the civil administration team, which assessed the condition of the road.

The road, which once connected Poonch city with Rawalakot, was a lifeline for the people on either side of the LoC. Salotri is the last inhabited village along the LoC, 12 km from Poonch town, and beyond it only Army and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel can go.

It is a nerve-racking five-km stretch from Salotri to the last Indian post. On this rocky surface only army trucks can ply.

The revenue officials, accompanied by an army official, took the hazardous stretch, which runs along the Poonch river, the dividing line between the Indian posts and PoK.

It took 35 minutes to reach the Mendla post, which faces Tetrinote village of PoK.

From pre-1947 revenue records, Jatinder Singh, head of the Poonch revenue department, said: "This is Mendla village and it used to adjoin Tetrinote on the other side of the Poonch river (now in PoK)". It was an agricultural land. From here Rawalakot town is 31 km.

Launching point for militants

AS Sandu, BSF Area Commander, who commands the last point along the LoC, says: "Till recently this was the most infiltration-prone area along the LoC." The Pakistan forces deployed in bunkers in hills used to provide fire cover to the infiltrating militants. "In fact, Tetrinote used to be the main launching point for the militants. Post-ceasefire, things have improved."

Bashir Ahmed, assistant engineer of the Roads and Building Department, says the condition of the last five-km of road is bad as it has not been used for the last 57 years. Anyhow, it will take less than a month to construct the road.

Tough job for Army

The Army has a difficult job on its hands. "De-mining the area will take time. For, some of the mines have been laid since 1947 and now it has become a forest, which makes de-mining difficult, says Commander Sandu.

Even what used to be a bridge on the Indian side is now covered with forests.

From Poonch town there are three roads leading to Rawalakot. The Khari-Rawalakot Road is in near-motorable conditions till the last point in PoK.

Just a two-km stretch needs to be metalled to enter Tetrinote.

The Digawar-Rawlakot Road enters Kohala en route to Rawalakot. The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to open the Mendla-Rawalakot Road. Road Minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir told The Hindu: "We have decided to open the Mendla route and we plan to coordinate with the Army on the construction."

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