Kotranka Sub-Division cut off for 2nd day, residents face hardships

Rajouri, Jan 24: The Kotranka sub-division of Rajouri district remained cut off from the rest of the district for the second consecutive day on Saturday due to snow-blocked roads and disrupted power supply, leaving residents facing severe hardships, officials said.

Kotranka, the largest sub-division of the border district, primarily comprises the Kotranka and Budhal areas.

The vital Rajouri–Kotranka–Budhal road, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), has remained completely closed for the second straight day.

Officials said that the road stretch from Rajouri to Kotranka is blocked between Mandir Gala and Kotranka town, while the road from Kotranka town to Budhal is also lying closed.

The prolonged closure has put residents in great distress, with locals expressing strong resentment against the Border Roads Organisation for what they termed as inadequate snow clearance efforts.

The disconnection has disrupted the movement of essential supplies and affected day-to-day life in the region.

Adding to the woes, power supply in the sub-division has also been badly hit.

Officials stated that the 33 KVA feeder line from Rajouri to Kotranka has reportedly developed a snag from Rehan onwards, plunging more than two dozen villages into darkness and throwing normal life completely out of gear.

Residents of the area, while narrating their hardships telephonically, have appealed to the government authorities to expedite snow clearance operations and restore electricity at the earliest to bring relief to the people of the remote Kotranka sub-division.

MLA Budhal Javed Iqbal said that the 33 KVA line at Rehan has been damaged and PDD officials are on the job to restore electricity to the Koteranka–Budhal area at the earliest.

Meanwhile, he stated, extensive damage to LT lines has been reported in many areas, and full restoration may take some time.