Increasing connectivity

Sir,

Connectivity is an essential ingredient of infrastructral development. Connectivity has many connotations in the present age. Road connectivity, Connectivity by air and connectivity in communication.

All these definitely need a push otherwise the state will lag behind in development. Roads are important for any state. Given the geographical condition of our State roads are very essential. Being, a larger part hilly, our State has yet many areas where roads have not been developed. Kishtwar, Paddar, Dachan, Marwah and other areas need an all round development. This is not possible without good and all weather roads. In the times of exigency like the recent snowfall the absence of good roads was felt. In remote areas where a large portion of our population live we need to stress on connectivity through air.

There is a urgent need to develop small airports in remote areas where small aeroplanes and choppers can freely land and take off. This way in emergency situation, essential supplies can be replenished through air. Another area is mobile and Telephone Connectivity. Remote places are yet not reaping the fruits of technological or mobile revolution. Towers have to be erected there so that people can communicate with each other. Thus the Govt has to devise a long term plan where by a three pronged connectivity is to be developed for the overall development of the state.

Yours etc….
Raj Kumar
Doda

National projects

Sir,

A news report was published in this paper regarding Bersar, Ujh and Shahpur Kandi (Feb 22)

The news report carried the news that these projects have been registered as National projects. Keeping in view the power situation in the state it is important that we start under taking projects which are of importance. In this context the Government has to built new projects which would help to tide over the power difecit in the state. Bersar project is important because in addition to being able to produce hydropower the project will also store water which will be used by down stream power projects like Bhagiliar and Dool Hasti.

Bersar will be the largest hydro project in the state which will produce more hydro power than any other power station in the state. This project which fall in Kishtwar will help the economy of the local people as they will find district and indirect employment in the project. Similarly the decision of the Central Govt. to accord national project status to Ujh in Kathua is a welcome step. This project will also generate 280 MWs of power and more importantly will store water to irrigate vast kandi areas of Kathua District.

The people of the region hope that work on these National projects will start in right earnest so that people in the state do not feel constrained on account of shortage of power and irrigation. These projects will give a new inpetus to the development of the state.

Yours etc….
Kuldeep Raj
Kathua,
Jammu

Developing roads

Sir,

Roads for important for every state in the country for development. If we talk of infrastructure then roads come first. It is only due to the roads that we can increase connectivity with other and remote areas of the state.

But despite the high importance that roads have, there seems to be general lack of interest in the Government to develop roads in the State. A news report published in this paper (Feb 19) is a grim pointer in this regard. It has been reported that only thirty five crore have been given to Roads and Buildings Department which needs four hundred twenty five crore instead. With a total length of seventeen thousand kilometers in the State the sum of thirty five crore is paltry and thus can hardly meet the bare minimum degree of maintenance.

In the present age when people travel to the state from far corners of the country it is important that we keep our roads in better condition. Our state becomes host to about 8 million or more pilgrim/tourists every year. It means that thousands of vehicles are needed to ferry them. In absence of good roads it becomes a bad experience for the tourists to travel. In addition to that there is a need to have better and improved roads in the state so that the process of development takes off well. Otherwise in absence of a better road connectivity it will be impossible to develop the state.

Your etc…
Rajinder Chib
R.S.Pura