STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Describing connectivity as a prerequisite for bolstering economic growth, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, on Tuesday called for more effective coordination between different agencies so that work on various prestigious road projects in the state is carried forward with greater urgency.
Besides Minister for Public Works (R&B) and Parliamentary Affairs, A. R. Veeri, the meeting was also attended by Minister for I and C, Chander Parkash Ganga, Minister of State for S and T, Transport and R and B, Sunil Kumar Sharma, Chief Secretary, B. R Sharma, Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development, B.B Vyas and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Navin K. Chaudhary.
Stressing upon factoring in physical and topographical issues while framing road projects, the Chief Minister highlighted the difficult challenges confronting Kashmir Valley on account of hostile climatic conditions as well as constraints on the law-and-order front, which she said hamper the already-limited working season. She, however, described as unacceptable the delay in timely-completion of projects in Jammu region, where working season is much longer and the general atmosphere very positive.
Briefing the Chief Minister about the status of ongoing works, PWD Secretary, Rohit Kansal, said around 96 per cent of all land acquisition cases have been completed. He added that an amount of Rs.42,668 crore have been sanctioned under PM’s Development Package – TAMIER (The Aggressive Micro Economic and Infrastructure Rebuilding), which include 12 major roads, three mega tunnels and Ring Road projects for the two Capital Cities.
The R&B Secretary, while briefing the Chief Minister, said four new projects which include Kargil-Zanskar, Srinagar-Shopian-Qazigund, Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch and Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Goha roads (along with 3-km tunnel) will be constructed at a cost of Rs.13,300 crore.
On Batote-Kishtwar-Sinthan Pass-Khanabal Road, which is to be upgraded to two lanes, it was given out that the work has been entrusted to NHICDL (National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited). A new alignment at Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Goha-Khellani has also been proposed and for the construction of a tunnel at Singhpora-Vailoo Road, the matter has been taken up with MoRTH fo external funding.
The Chief Minister was informed that a new National Highway – Uri-Baramulla-Srinagar-Kargil-Leh – has been carved out of Old NH-IA and presently the road is with BRO, except Z-Morh and Zojila tunnels which are with MoRTH. “Z-Morh tunnel is expected to be completed by April 30, 2020 at a cost of Rs.2680.42 crore while as the process of re-tendering 14-km Zojila Tunnel at a cost of Rs.9090 crore has been initiated by MoRTH,” PWD secretary told the Chief Minister. The status of other National Highways reviewed by the Chief Minister included Kargil-Zanskar, Baramulla-Rafiabad-Kupwara-Tangdhar, Leh-Debring-Mulden-Manali and Baltal-Panjtarni-Chandanwari-Pahalgam-Batkoot-Martand-Khanabal.
While briefing the Chief Minister about the physical progress of four-lanning of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the PWD Secretary said work on Jammu-Udhampur section has been almost completed and around 85 per cent progress has been achieved on Chenani-Nashri section and the work is expected to be completed by May this year. This, he said will reduce the distance between Jammu and Srinagar by 30 km.
On the vital issue of maintenance of deteriorated patches on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, especially critical stretches at Patnitop, Nashri, Ramban and Banihal, the Chief Minister asked the concerned executing agencies to mobilize men and machinery as sliding and choking of drains breaks down traffic, causing lot of inconvenience to the commuters.
Also present in the meeting were Financial Commissioner Revenue, Pramod Jain, Principal Secretary Forests, Rakesh Gupta, Principal Secretary, Home, R. K. Goyal, Principal Secretary, Power, Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner / Secretary, I&C, Shailendra Kumar, Commissioner / Secretary, Revenue, M. Afzal Bhat, Divisional Commissioners, Dr. Pawan Kotwal and Asgar Hassan Samoon and Chief Engineers of R&B, PMGSY and Mughal Road Project.
The Central government was represented by A.K. Gupta, GM, NHICDL, R. P. Singh, Regional Officer, NHAI, V. S. Khera, Member PPP, MHA and senior functionaries of BRO, BRTF, Project Sampark and Project BEACON in the meeting.
