Kulgam, May 23: A widening controversy has surfaced over the stalled expansion of the Kulgam Bypass on NH-444, where commercial and residential structures continue to stand despite compensation having been paid to owners, raising questions over accountability and coordination between the district administration and highway authorities.

The issue has acquired fresh significance after an official communication from the Executive Engineer, R&B Project Division-I Srinagar, highlighted concerns regarding undemolished and allegedly reconstructed structures affecting progress of the bypass project.
The communication, addressed to the District Development Commissioner Kulgam, states that demolition drives had been carried out following acquisition proceedings and official directions for removal of structures falling along the bypass alignment.
According to the letter, authorities observed that some owners dismantled only portions of structures falling within the Proposed Right of Way (PROW) while retaining or reconstructing portions beyond it, despite notices and demolition directions issued through revenue authorities.
The Executive Engineer sought intervention from the district administration, stating that the continued presence of such structures was obstructing smooth execution of the bypass project.
However, beyond the official communication lies a larger and unresolved question: if compensation has already been paid and affected structures identified, why do shops and houses still stand along the bypass corridor?
In several stretches, commercial establishments and residential buildings remain intact even after acquisition and compensation proceedings, while road development has moved ahead around these structures.
Instead of visible widening, commuters and local observers point to shrinking carriageway segments and incomplete expansion along parts of the bypass.
Speaking to the news agency Kashmir News Trust, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kulgam Waqar Giri said the district administration had already completed its assigned role.
“We have identified and compensated owners of commercial and residential structures along the bypass. Now it is the job of NH-444 authorities,” Giri said.
His remarks place responsibility for the next phase — demolition and physical clearance — upon the executing highway agency.
The explanation from NH-444 authorities, however, presents a contrasting picture.
Executive Engineer NH-444 Nisar Ahmad said that highway authorities were facing operational difficulties and lacked administrative support necessary for demolition.
“Administration is not providing us manpower and is also not providing the list of people whom it has compensated,” Nisar Ahmad said.
The conflicting versions have exposed an apparent coordination gap between agencies involved in the project.
While the administration maintains that compensation and identification of affected owners have already been completed, NH-444 authorities contend that implementation is being hampered by lack of manpower and absence of beneficiary records. The contradiction has fueled public concern.
Locals and commuters question how compensation could allegedly be released while structures continue to remain standing and why widening activity proceeded around intact buildings rather than following complete clearance of the acquired corridor.
The result on the ground, they say, is a bypass project that appears caught between paperwork and execution — where money has allegedly changed hands, structures remain undemolished and the road continues to face narrowing rather than widening.
The official R&B communication further suggests frustration within project authorities, documenting concerns that retained or allegedly rebuilt structures were affecting progress and seeking fresh intervention from district officials.
For commuters using the Kulgam corridor, the dispute now goes beyond technical procedure.
The central question remains unanswered: if the administration says compensation has been paid and NH-444 says it lacks support and records, who bears responsibility for a bypass that remains partially obstructed despite years of acquisition and planning?