Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 27: Union Ministry for Roads and Surface Transport, headed by BJP veteran Nitin Gadkari has given major boost to road network in Jammu by approving Rs 95 crores for carrying out four works at original Batote-Kishtwar National Highway and formal nod for initiation of work on two major National Highways including Jammu-Akhnoor-Rajouri-Poonch and Batote-Chenani-Sudh Maha-dev-Pul Doda-Kishtwar-Sinth-an-Khanabal by appointing Wadia Techno Engineering Consultants, Mumbai for preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the two highways before the work is initiated on them very soon.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Union Surface Transport Ministry has designated National Highway Infrastr-ucture Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) as the authority for construction of Batote-Khanabal and Jammu-Akhnoor National Highways and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) from Akhnoor to Poonch.
Rs 5100 crores have been earmarked for Jammu-Akhnoor-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway in the Prime Minister’s Development Plan (PMDP), which would start pouring in with the appointment of the Consultant Firm-Wadia Techno Engineering Consultants.
Sources said the Union Road and Surface Ministry has released Rs 95 crores for Jammu and Kashmir Gover-nment for carrying out repair work of Batote-Kishtwar National Highway, which is in dilapidated condition.
“The amount has been approved for undertaking four major jobs (works) on the National Highway and make it fit for movement of all kind of traffic and all weather road,” sources said, adding that the repair works would be taken out from Batote to Chatroo.
The works would start in first week of December and completed within 12 months, they said.
Present condition of Batote-Kishtwar National Highway is precarious at many places and it gets deteriorated further during rainfall in Monsoon and snowfall and rains during winter rendering it closed for days together. The repair works would be carried out at the places, which are prone to blockade to ensure that the Highway runs 24×7.
During last Monsoon, Batote-Kishtwar National Highway had remained closed for days together especially during the time of heavy rainfall, which washed away the highway at many places, leading to road blockades.
Simultaneously, the Union Roads and Surface Transport Ministry has initiated work on new National Highway to connect Batote with Doda and Kashmir.
The new Highway, which was approved earlier this year, would start from Batote and pass through Chenani, Sudh Mahadev, Pul Doda, Kishtwar, Singhan Pass and Khanabal (in Anantnag district of Kashmir valley). This way erstwhile Doda district would be connected with the Kashmir Valley also through the National Highway.
The Union Ministry, according to sources, has designated Mumbai-based Wadia Techno Engineering Consul-tants as the consulting firm for new Batote-Khanabal National Highway, which has been tasked to prepared alignment of the Highway in the form of DPR including cost of the project and the time of completion.
“As soon as the report of the Consultant is received, the Centre would give go ahead to National Highway Infrastruc-ture Development Corporation Limited to start work on new Batote-Doda-Kishtwar-Khanabal highway, which would connect Chenani and Sudh Mahadev directly with Doda,” sources said, adding the Union Surface Transport Ministry had already made it clear that funds were no problem for this project. However, the funds would be earmarked after preparation of DPR and other ground work by the Consultants.
Similarly, sources said, the Union Road and Surface Transport Ministry has also designated Wadia Techno Engineering Consultants, Mumbai as its Consultant and National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation as executing agency for work on Jammu-Akhnoor National Highway.
They added that Jammu-Poonch National Highway has been split into two zones-Jammu-Akhnoor and Akhnoor-Rajouri-Poonch.
While Jammu-Akhnoor Highway has been assigned to National Highway Infrastruc-ture Development Corporation and Wadia Consultants appointed as firm for preparation of DPRs, the Highway beyond Akhnoor i.e. from Akhnoor to Poonch via Rajouri has been allocated to the Border Roads Organisation.
The Government has already kept a provision of Rs 5100 crores for construction of Jammu-Akhnoor-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway, sources pointed out. The funds have been kept under Prime Minister’s Development Plan (PMDP).
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