Srinagar, Oct 27, Oct. 28 -- Bitumen shortages and pending contractor payments have stalled road macadamisation projects across Kashmir, raising concerns over the completion of targets ahead of winter. The Public Works (R&B) Department had set a target of macadamising 827 km of roads this financial year, with projects scheduled for completion between April and October. However, a contractors' strike in August over unpaid bills and rising material costs delayed work, which resumed in September before facing fresh disruptions.Contractors said outstanding payments of around Rs.1,000 crore and a sharp rise in bitumen prices had further hampered progress. Bashir Ahmad Khan, president of the Hot Mix Plants Association in Kashmir, said bitumen p...