Almora.
Congress workers staged a strong protest on Jail Road against the deteriorating condition of roads and deep potholes across the area. In a unique form of demonstration, the protesters planted saplings in large potholes to draw the attention of the government and administration towards the serious issue.
During the protest, Congress members alleged that the condition of Jail Road—one of the important roads of the town—has worsened significantly. Deep potholes at several places have made it extremely difficult for residents to commute. School children, elderly citizens, and vehicle drivers are facing constant risk due to the poor road conditions.
Protesters claimed that accidents are occurring frequently, yet the administration has remained indifferent. They pointed out that during the rainy season, the potholes get filled with water, making them even more dangerous as drivers are unable to judge their depth, leading to mishaps.
The demonstrators further criticized the Public Works Department (PWD), stating that despite repeated claims of repair work, the ground reality reflects poor quality or lack of proper maintenance. They alleged that the negligence of authorities has worsened the situation and raised serious concerns about governance.
Raising slogans against the government and administration, the Congress workers warned that if immediate repair work is not initiated, the protest will be intensified. They also stated that they may resort to locking the offices of PWD officials if their demands are not addressed promptly.
Congress leaders emphasized that this is not just about one road, but reflects the overall poor condition of roads across the town. They demanded a comprehensive survey of all major roads and immediate repair work with quality assurance to prevent recurrence of such issues.
They added that providing basic infrastructure like safe roads is the responsibility of the government, and failure to do so highlights administrative inefficiency. The public, they said, is now more aware and will continue to raise its voice until solutions are delivered.
Prominent individuals present at the protest included Vaibhav Pandey (Councillor), Arvind Singh Rautela, Deep Singh Dangi, Puran Rautela, Sanjay Durgapal, Geeta Mehra, Sharad Shah, Titu Pant, Kiran Arya, Vishal Kanwal, Gaurav Joshi, Satish Pandey, Mukesh Kumar (Councillor), Vikas Kumar (Councillor), Vinod Vaishnav, Bhairav Goswami, Madan Singh Dangi, Paritosh Joshi, Hem Sasi, Anoop Bharti (Councillor), Ritik Nayal, Pradeep Kumar (Councillor), Israr Ahmed, Gunjan Singh Chamiyal (Councillor), Kartik Shah, Mukesh Negi, Sushil Shah, Ashok Gururani, Kunal, Deepak Kumar (Councillor), Vishal Singh Bisht, Ambiram, and many other party workers.
At the end of the protest, Congress members urged the authorities to take immediate action and begin road repairs to provide relief to the public and prevent further accidents.
