I live in a village called Tarzoo—a large and prosperous village where almost every family owns substantial land and property, and where tall, beautiful houses stand across the landscape. The Ningli Nallah flows nearby, and the village is connected to the National Highway from several directions.

Tarzoo has tap water in almost every household, several government schools, including two high schools, and a beautiful Primary Health Centre. It is only 3 kilometres from the township of Sopore and about 16 kilometres from the District Headquarters at Baramulla.
In many ways, Tarzoo has almost everything a village could ask for.
And yet, there is one major problem that I have witnessed for nearly forty years—a problem faced by thousands of residents every single day: the road.
Whether it is the road towards Sopore, the road connecting Highway–Hygam–Bulgam and Tarzoo, or the road linking Tarzoo with Gundebakir and Panzipora, the story remains largely the same. These roads are so narrow at several stretches that travelling by car towards Sopore often becomes a frustrating and time-consuming experience.
The irony is that the roads are not uniformly narrow. At some places, they are reasonably wide; then, without warning, they suddenly become extremely congested. In several stretches, two vehicles can barely pass each other.
The consequences are felt by everyone.
School children arrive late. Patients struggle to reach hospitals in Sopore in time. Office-goers and daily commuters lose valuable hours. And traffic jams, once an occasional inconvenience, have gradually become part of everyday life.
For years, we have waited with a simple question in our minds: When will the Sopore–Tarzoo–Hygam road finally have proper sidewalks? When will its width be made uniform throughout?
These are not unreasonable demands. They are basic requirements for a village of this size and importance, situated so close to Sopore and connected to major roads.
I often wonder why something that could perhaps be completed in a matter of days has remained unfinished for decades.
Forty years is a long time to wait for a proper road.
Still, I remain hopeful. I believe that one day the road through Tarzoo will be widened, made uniform, and provided with proper sidewalks. Perhaps that day is not far away.
But after waiting for so many years, one question continues to linger: When?

Email:-------------------------- saleemanim1982@gmail.com