Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 7: The Government of India has given go ahead to Jammu and Kashmir Government for construction of new National Highway from Batote to Kishtwar via Chenani-Sudh Mahadev-Khelani following reports by the Geological experts that Batote-Kishtwar Highway is sinking and its most part was likely to sink in the next few years.
“The re-alignment of Batote-Kishtwar National Highway that connects the two districts of Doda and Kishtwar with rest of the country has been approved. We have been asked to prepare detailed project report for realignment of the National Highway and submit it to the Union Ministry of Surface Transport as early as possible for approval as it has been confirmed by the Geological experts now that existing Batote-Kishtwar Highway up to Doda would become a history in the next few years,’’ official sources told the Excelsior.
They said the new Highway was pegged to cost Rs 1000 crores. As it was the National Highway, cost of the construction would be borne by the Government of India. However, the DPR and the new alignment will be prepared by the State Government authorities i.e. the R&B Department and submitted to the Centre in next four to five months for early start of the work.
According to sources, the new alignment would be Batote-Chenani-Sudh Mahadev-Khelani. The road length would be around 82 kilometers, almost similar to present stretch of the Highway. It would exit beyond area of submergence at Khelani.
The construction of new Highway would take at least four years. As it would be a fully funded Central project in view of being the National Highway, the Union Ministry of Surface Transport would bear its entire cost, projected around Rs 1000 crores.
A 2.5 kilometers tunnel would be constructed at Sudh Mahadev to make the Highway all weather road, sources said, adding the tunnel would be part of the DPR, the work on which was likely to begin this month after completion of the tendering process.
The State Government has, meanwhile, set the process into motion for inviting tenders for preparation of Detailed Project Report of the new alignment of the Highway, which the Centre has sought urgently from the State in view of frequently deteriorating condition of existing stretch of the Batote-Kishtwar Highway, which was being frequently closed for traffic at various places or being restricted to one way movement.
According to sources, the State Government projected the case very strongly before the Government of India following worsening condition of existing Batote-Kishtwar Highway coupled with reports of the Geological experts that the Highway was sinking at atleast 25 points and the road could submerge at various places. The Highway could even become the history in next few years, the experts have pointed out.
However, the Government has projected before the Centre that it proposed to use existing highway as link road with repair work if it survived. As construction of new alignment of the Highway was expected to take four years and the construction period could even overshoot by one year of the deadline, the Government has till then requested the Centre to ensure maintenance of the Highway to best possible extent for smooth movement of traffic.
“The Highway is in worst condition at 25 places, where the road was sinking or submerging. It would require urgent repair works on war footing to save the sinking road and make it fit for traffic before the Monsoon,’’ sources said and expressed hope that patches would be repaired by the concerned authorities especially after the State Government took up the deteriorating condition of the Highway with the Central Government and apprised it about problems faced by the people of Doda and Kishtwar districts, who had to spend several extra hours during movement on the road.
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