*Survey for 4-laning of Jammu-Poonch NH goes on
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 23: Government today said that presently there was no proposal to construct flyovers in Jammu city while a consultancy has been hired for the survey of 4-laning of Jammu-Poonch Highway.
While responding to the joint question of PDP member Yash Pal Sharma and BJP Member Vibodh Gupta in the Upper House today, the Minister for R&B Naeem Akhtar said that at present there was no proposal under consideration with the R&B Department for construction of flyovers at Talab Tillo, Janipur or in Bus Stand, Ploura or Bakshi Nagar area of Jammu. He even did not mention about any other flyover project taken in hand by the Government in the winter capital city.
The Minister, however, maintained that there was massive traffic congestion in Jammu city and most of the areas including Satwari, Bus Stand, Talab Tillo or Janipur remain choked due to high volume of traffic and there is need to take over all view and devise a mechanism to deal with the problem. He said similar problem was there in Srinagar. The Government has approached to ADB for the loan for some projects.
He also maintained that Government was working on various fronts to decongest the twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar and the matter for funding some projects of these cities have been taken up with the Asian Development Bank under the basic theme of decongestion of urban areas. He said the Govt would formulate consolidated proposal including the rehabilitation of displaced people. He said widening Jammu-Akhnoor road would also help decongestion in the city.
Responding to another question, Naeem claimed that 5,01299 vehicles have been registered in Jammu district and about 10,000 vehicles have been added with the Darbar Move to Jammu. The number of vehicles is increasing every day.
Replying to another question regarding 4-laning of Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch Highway, the Minister said agency M/s Highway Engineering Consultant Bhopal has been engaged to conduct survey and prepare Detailed Project Report with the cost of 4.41 crore. It is hoped to get the survey conducted by July this year. The land acquisition process will be initiated there after. The alignment and DPR construction work will be started after this process is over.
Referring to construction of circular road over flyover bridges in Rajouri, the Naeem Akhtar maintained that there was no such proposal under consideration with the department.
Regarding Thannamandi-Bafliaz (Mughal Road) Surankorte, the Minister said the road from Rajouri-Thannamandi-Bafliaz-Surankote, 53 km in length has been proposed for improvement/ upgradation to double lane specifications in the EPC mode. Tendering for the work of survey and preparation of DPR will be completed by August 2018, but the construction work would be started after clearance of land acquisition, he added.
He also informed that double-laning work of road from Rajouri to Siot via Kalakote has been completed between 106 kms to 121 .3 km while the work from 80 km ( Kalakote) to 106 kms is going on and the project would be completed by 2019.
PDP member Surinder Choudhary and Vikram Randhawa from BJP also raised supplementaries.
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