Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 8: Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under the project BEACON, has completed the process of realignment of Bandipora-Gurez Road, all along the banks of Kishanganga River that had to be altered after the construction of Kishanganga dam for the hydro-power project in Gurez.
A statement issued here said that the double-lane, 9-kilometer long road formation and construction from the Kishanganga dam-site to Wampora in Gurez was started few years back and is in the last leg of its completion, with workers and machines working on “permanent” works like construction of drainage, widening, raising of retaining and breast walls.
Chief Engineer, Project BEACON Brigadier Vishal Aggarwal said that the new road was carved out of the Gurez hills upto Dawar by 56 Road Construction Company of Project BEACON after the earlier road through Badwan village to the town had to be blocked because of the construction of the Kishanganga dam for the hydro-power project. It is a very important project and the onus of constructing the road at the earliest was vested with the BRO, he said.
Col Amit Chander, the Commander 32 TF, said that the workforce of 56 RCC used men and machinery and toiled hard for months to link the new road in record time as it was all challenging keeping in view the tough rock terrains. He said that by next year black topping of the road will be started and it will be completely motorable with smooth and easy travel.
“As on date, preparation of sub-grades, layers formation is being carried out. Presently, the road is 7.5 wide and 9 km long from the dam-site to Wampora towards Dawar,” he said. MLA Gurez, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi said that the realigned road is very vital for connectivity of Gurez sector with rest of the world.
“Once completed and macadamsied, the road will improve travel and will open economic activities in the region as tourists from across the world will start coming in,” Gurezi said, adding Gurez sector is one of the nine virgin tourists resorts in the world. “Gurez has a lot of potential for tourism as world-famous hilly tracks are located in its scenic mountains. I am pinning hopes on BRO for the completion of Bandipora-Gurez road and expect them to complete the road as soon as possible,” the legislator said.
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