Bandipora, Dec. 16 -- Suhail Rather

Just a month after the Gamroo-Papchan link road in north Kashmir's Bandipora district was blacktopped by the PMGSY department, large potholes have already appeared, raising serious questions about the quality of construction and the use of public funds.

The road was finally blacktopped after years of delay by the department, bringing relief to hundreds of families living in the area. The road serves as a vital link for several villages, which include Konan, Sumlar, Gundkaiser, Bapora, and Check Arsala Khan. However, within days of the work's completion, the road surface began to deteriorate, with gravel coming loose and potholes appearing at multiple spots.

Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Gamroo, told...