Dr Rizwan Rumi
Roads are built to connect people, facilitate movement and make everyday life easier. They are essential public spaces, shared by motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, schoolchildren, patients and emergency vehicles. Yet, across Kashmir, an increasingly common sight is undermining the very purpose for which these roads exist: heaps of construction material occupying public roads, often without adequate precautions, creating obstacles for commuters and exposing people to avoidable risks.
Sand, gravel, bricks, stones and other building materials are frequently dumped along roadsides or placed partly on the carriageway. In some cases, these materials remain there for days, narrowing already congested roads and forcing vehicles to manoeuvre through restricted spaces. What may appear to be a minor convenience for a household undertaking construction can become a serious inconvenience, and sometimes a danger, for hundreds of other people.
The problem deserves far greater public attention than it currently receives.
A Private Convenience, a Public Cost
Construction and renovation are normal aspects of everyday life. People build houses, repair damaged structures and improve their living conditions. In Kashmir, where owning a house represents years of savings, sacrifice and hard work for many families, such efforts deserve understanding rather than unnecessary criticism.
However, the right to construct a house does not include an unrestricted right to occupy a public road.
When someone deposits construction material on a road because there is insufficient space within their premises, the inconvenience is transferred from the property owner to the public. A private construction project begins to impose a collective cost. Motorists lose valuable road space, pedestrians are pushed towards moving traffic, and residents who have no connection with the construction work are compelled to negotiate the resulting obstruction.
This is where an ordinary construction activity becomes a question of civic responsibility.
Public roads belong to everyone. Their use cannot be determined solely by the convenience of the person undertaking construction. A citizen’s freedom to improve personal property must coexist with the rights of neighbours, commuters and the wider community.
When an Obstruction Becomes a Safety Hazard
The most serious concern is not merely the inconvenience caused by construction material but the potential threat it poses to human life.
A heap of sand or gravel placed near a bend, at an intersection or along a narrow stretch of road can obstruct visibility and restrict manoeuvring space. Drivers approaching such obstacles may be forced to brake suddenly, change lanes unexpectedly or move towards the opposite side of the road. On busy stretches, these movements can create dangerous situations for other road users.
Loose gravel can also reduce tyre grip, particularly for two-wheelers. Bricks, stones and construction debris may become hazardous when drivers encounter them unexpectedly, especially after dark or in poor visibility.
Pedestrians face a different but equally serious problem. When construction materials occupy the footpath or roadside, people may have little choice but to walk on the carriageway. Elderly people, children and persons with disabilities are particularly vulnerable. A pedestrian who should be walking safely along the edge of the road may instead find themselves sharing space with moving vehicles.
The danger becomes even more pronounced on narrow roads, where even a small obstruction can significantly reduce the available space. During periods of rain, loose material may spread across the road, while poor visibility can make an unattended pile difficult to notice in time.
Not every obstruction will result in an accident, and it would be inaccurate to attribute every traffic mishap to construction material. Nevertheless, deliberately narrowing a road and creating unexpected obstacles increases the risk of collisions, falls and sudden braking. Preventing such hazards before an accident occurs is far more sensible than responding after someone has been injured.
The Traffic Problem Nobody Should Ignore
Kashmir’s roads already carry considerable pressure from growing vehicle numbers, roadside parking, commercial activity and the movement of people between residential and market areas. In many localities, the available road width is limited to begin with.
Under these circumstances, even a temporary obstruction can have consequences beyond the immediate location.
A pile of construction material that occupies part of a narrow road may slow traffic in both directions. Vehicles struggle to pass one another, drivers become impatient, and congestion begins to build. In busy neighbourhoods, the resulting bottlenecks can affect public transport, school vehicles, delivery services and people travelling to work.
The consequences can be particularly troubling when an ambulance or fire and emergency vehicle needs to pass through a congested stretch. No one can claim that every pile of sand will delay an emergency vehicle, but a road unnecessarily narrowed by private construction material creates an additional obstacle at precisely the place where unobstructed movement matters.
The cumulative effect of hundreds of such obstructions across different localities can be substantial. What appears insignificant when viewed in isolation becomes a wider civic problem when repeated across an entire region.
Where Is the Administrative Response?
This situation raises an important question: who is responsible for ensuring that public roads remain free from unauthorised obstructions?
Road safety is not achieved merely by constructing roads, installing traffic signals or regulating vehicle movement. It also requires continuous attention to the everyday conditions that make roads safe or dangerous.
The relevant municipal bodies, local authorities, road-owning agencies and traffic police have different responsibilities, depending on the location and nature of the obstruction. Their precise legal powers may vary, but the broader public interest is clear: roads must remain reasonably accessible and safe for everyone.
The concern is that roadside construction material often appears to remain unattended for extended periods without any visible intervention. Where such obstructions violate applicable rules, a timely response should be expected. Where people need guidance about permissible storage or disposal arrangements, the administration should communicate those requirements clearly.
Enforcement should not depend solely on complaints after a road has become impassable or an accident has occurred. Regular inspections of vulnerable stretches, prompt responses to public complaints and clear procedures for removing dangerous obstructions would help address the problem before it escalates.
Authorities should also distinguish between unavoidable, short-duration loading and unloading and the prolonged storage of construction material on public roads. The two situations are not identical and should not necessarily attract the same response.
The objective must be practical regulation, not indiscriminate punishment.
Civic Responsibility Cannot Be Outsourced to the Government
While administrative oversight is necessary, the government cannot be expected to prevent every instance of irresponsible behaviour without the cooperation of citizens.
People undertaking construction must recognise that a public road is not an extension of their private property. Materials should be stored within the premises wherever possible or at another lawful location. If temporary roadside access is unavoidable, it should be arranged in accordance with applicable rules and should not create an unreasonable obstruction or safety hazard.
Construction material should be brought to a site in quantities that can be used or safely stored, rather than being dumped in advance and left exposed to traffic. Sand, gravel and bricks should not block pedestrian pathways, cover drainage openings or obstruct access for emergency vehicles. Any material accidentally spread onto the road should be cleared promptly.
The responsibility does not end with the property owner. Builders, contractors, suppliers and transporters also have a role in ensuring that materials are unloaded and managed responsibly.
A simple principle should guide everyone: the convenience of one household must not come at the expense of the safety of an entire neighbourhood.
Civic sense is not demonstrated only by keeping one’s home clean or maintaining the appearance of one’s surroundings. It is equally reflected in how one treats shared spaces. A person who maintains a beautiful house while leaving sand, bricks and debris across the public road outside it has overlooked an essential aspect of civic responsibility.
The Need for Clear and Consistent Rules
A lasting solution requires more than occasional warnings or sporadic enforcement drives. The administration should establish a clear, consistent and publicly communicated approach to roadside construction material.
First, local authorities should identify and enforce existing rules governing the obstruction and unauthorised occupation of public roads. Where regulations are unclear or inadequate, the relevant authorities should examine whether additional local measures are necessary.
Second, residents undertaking construction should receive clear information about where materials may be stored, what precautions are required during loading and unloading, and how quickly unused material and debris must be removed from public spaces.
Third, authorities should prioritise locations where obstructions create the greatest risks. Narrow roads, sharp bends, junctions, school approaches, hospital routes and stretches with heavy pedestrian movement deserve particular attention.
Fourth, accessible complaint mechanisms should enable residents to report dangerous obstructions, with a reasonable expectation of a timely response. Public complaints should lead to verification and appropriate action rather than becoming another exercise in paperwork.
Fifth, enforcement must be fair. If rules prohibit unauthorised road occupation, they should apply consistently, regardless of a person’s influence, financial position or social standing. Warnings may be appropriate for minor first-time violations where permitted, but persistent or dangerous obstructions should attract proportionate action under the applicable law.
Finally, construction debris must be disposed of responsibly. Removing material from one road only to dump it in another public space would simply shift the problem elsewhere.
These measures would not prevent people from building their homes. They would help ensure that construction takes place without unnecessarily compromising public safety.
Development Must Respect the Rights of Others
There is an important distinction between development and disorder. Building houses, renovating properties and improving neighbourhoods are signs of progress. But development cannot be measured exclusively by the structures that rise on private land. It must also be judged by the extent to which people can live safely and comfortably in the surrounding community.
A newly constructed house should not become a source of danger for pedestrians. A renovation project should not force motorists into hazardous manoeuvres. A family’s aspiration to improve its living conditions should not require other families to navigate an obstructed road.
The same principle applies to the administration. Constructing a road is only one part of its responsibility. Maintaining accessibility, preventing avoidable hazards and responding to public concerns are equally important aspects of road governance.
Kashmir needs both responsible citizens and responsive institutions. Neither can substitute for the other.
A Small Act of Responsibility Can Prevent a Major Tragedy
The issue of construction material lying on public roads may not always attract the attention given to larger infrastructure projects or major traffic violations. Yet, its everyday nature makes it especially important. People encounter these obstructions while going to work, taking children to school, visiting hospitals or simply walking through their neighbourhoods.
The fact that a hazard has become familiar does not make it acceptable.
A heap of gravel may appear harmless to the person who deposited it. For a motorcyclist approaching it at night, a child forced onto the carriageway or a driver negotiating a narrow road, the same heap may present an entirely different reality.
We should not wait for an accident to remind us that public spaces carry public responsibilities. Nor should citizens assume that anything becomes permissible simply because it is temporary or connected with construction.
The solution begins with a straightforward understanding: build your house, improve your property and fulfil your aspirations, but do not turn the public road into your private construction yard. Store materials responsibly, remove them promptly and ensure that your work does not endanger others.
At the same time, the administration must move beyond silence and occasional intervention towards consistent enforcement, public awareness and preventive action.
Our roads are meant to carry people, not serve as unattended storage spaces. Keeping them clear is not merely a matter of traffic management; it is a shared responsibility towards human life, civic order and the public good.
Dr. Rizwan Rumi is a writer, columnist and author with a doctorate degree. He regularly writes for various national and international publications and has published extensively on education, society and contemporary issues.
