Land slippage endangers critical public spaces in north Kashmir’s Sultanpora Kandi

Baramulla, Apr 18: A health building constructed at Sultanpora Kandi in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, at an estimated cost of over Rs 40 lakh is facing a looming threat due to active land slippage behind the structure, exposing glaring lapses in planning and execution.

A nearby graveyard, along with an adjacent school, is also facing an imminent threat due to ongoing land erosion in the area. Local residents said the issue arose after the health building was constructed on a sloping patch of land by the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department. They alleged that the executing agency carried out deep earth cutting during construction without simultaneously putting in place adequate protective measures to stabilise the slope. As a result, recent rains have triggered land erosion, leading to soil slippage behind the building.

This has not only endangered the structure but also damaged the nearby school building and put the graveyard at risk. “The area is prone to landslides,” said Ayaz Ahmad. “The concerned executing agency should have taken all precautionary measures before constructing the building.” Expressing anger over the situation, residents said a proper protection wall should have been constructed alongside the cutting work to prevent soil erosion and landslides. “From the beginning, the cutting was too deep, and no safeguards were installed. Now the land behind the building is sliding, and the structure itself is at risk,” said another resident, Muhammad Shafi. Residents further claimed that although a crate bund wall was constructed later, it has already developed bulges, indicating structural weakness and increasing the risk instead of mitigating it.

The situation has raised serious concerns among locals, who questioned whether the technical team involved in the project had adequately assessed the landslide risks before construction. They argued that proper due diligence and planning could have helped adapt the design to suit the terrain. “The authorities should have anticipated this. Proper planning could have saved both the building and public money,” another resident said. The deteriorating condition of the site now threatens to render the health facility unsafe, undermining its intended purpose and highlighting how inadequate planning can derail development efforts. The executive engineer, R&B division Baramulla, Muhammad Younis Shah said that he will dispatch a team of officials to the spot to assess the situation.  “The concerned JE and other officials will visit the spot soon to assess the situation. If there is any issue, we will address it,” he said.