Waseem Ahmad
SRINAGAR, Mar 5: Three years have passed, Government has failed to construct the Grade Separator at Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Srinagar that was scheduled to be completed by December 2016.
To overcome congestion and traffic jam at the TRC junction, the Grade Separator was sanctioned by the Government and its foundation stone was laid by late Mufti Mohammad Syed, then Chief Minister in 2015. At that time, it was said that the two-lane Grade Separator will function in one direction from Sonwar to Lal Chowk, with one limb for MA Road-bound traffic.
The two-lane Grade Separator is being constructed under ADB (Asian Development Bank) funding by J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) with an estimated cost of Rs 17.85 crore.
The residents said that the construction work of the Grade Separator is moving at snail’s pace and the incomplete project has added to the woes of the people. “The incomplete construction work presents the sorry state of affairs. Three years have passed and the project is still incomplete. Besides, the construction material left on the roadside has ruined the image of Srinagar city,” Danish Ahmad, a daily commuter said.
Arif Khan, a resident of Sonwar area of Srinagar, said that the incomplete Grade Separator risks the life of the people as the construction material is scattered on the roads which is risky. “Due to the construction material scattered on the roads, there is a risk of accidents as vehicles often skid on the material. Leave other projects aside, this is just a small Grade Separator and Government failed to complete it within stipulated time,” he said
Satish Razdan, Director ERA blamed 2016 unrest and braid chopping issue of last year for the delay in the project. “The construction work was first hampered in 2016 due to the unrest as everything came to standstill in that year. Last year the work was again stopped due to the braid chopping issue here as the laborers fled away from the State,” he said
Asking about the construction material dumped on the roadside, he said that the road is clear and the construction work is on full swing, “We have not dumped the material on roadside as the construction work is going on and material is continuously being used,” he said, adding: “About 60 percent of the work is complete and hopefully, the project would be completed by September this year.”
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