*Reviews progress on compliance reduction measures
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 24: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today held a meeting with the Chairperson of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Santosh Kumar Yadav, to review the status and expedite the implementation of critical highway infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
The NHAI Chairperson, who called on the Chief Secretary at the Civil Secretariat, was accompanied by the Regional Officer, NHAI Jammu, and other senior officials.
The deliberations focused on both ongoing projects and newly sanctioned road infrastructure initiatives aimed at enhancing all-weather connectivity, supporting regional development, and strengthening the strategic road network in the UT.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary underlined the immense importance of these vital road links for a region like J&K, which remains heavily dependent on external supply chains due to its geographically sensitive and climatically challenging terrain.
He emphasized that uninterrupted road connectivity is essential for ensuring the smooth movement of essential commodities, especially during the harsh winter months when weather-related disruptions frequently impact mobility.
Special attention was drawn to the NH-44 stretch between Banihal and Ramban, where the Chief Secretary stressed the need for timely completion of tunnels and viaducts to mitigate disruptions caused by adverse weather. Highlighting the strategic and economic relevance of the region, Dulloo noted that J&K’s key sectors tourism, horticulture, and agriculture are closely tied to robust road infrastructure.
The Chief Secretary also called for accelerated implementation of flagship projects including the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Corridor, Tunnel construction on the Jammu Ring Road, and Enhancing pace of work on the Srinagar Ring Road. He further impressed upon NHAI to take up the development of service roads along the Domel-Udhampur and Qazigund-Srinagar stretches of NH-44 on priority.
Reiterating the critical need for improved connectivity to remote and border areas, Dulloo advocated for the expeditious execution of key tunnel projects such as Sadhna Pass Tunnel for all-weather access to Gurez Valley, Singhpora-Vailoo Tunnel, and Sudhmahadev Tunnel on NH-244 to establish a dependable alternate highway to the Kashmir Valley, especially benefiting the remote districts of Doda and Kishtwar.
The Chief Secretary also sought active support from NHAI in fast-tracking the approval of DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) for a number of strategic road projects that are vital to the region’s development and economic growth.
These includes Development of the Fourth Tawi Bridge, Upgradation of the Satwari-Suchetgarh (Old Jammu-Sialkot) Road to NH standards, Construction of Phase-II of the Jammu Ring Road, Expansion of the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, Upgradation of the Samba-Mansar-Udhampur Road, Development of the Kathua-Bhasoli-Bani-Bhaderwah-Doda corridor, Bhaderwah-Chamba Road, Phase-III of the Srinagar Ring Road besides others.
Meanwhile, CS chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress on compliance reduction and deregulation reforms recommended by the National Task Force headed by the Cabinet Secretary, Government of India.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary took stock of priority reform areas flagged by the Task Force and assessed both the completed compliances and those returned with observations. He emphasized the urgent need to upload the evidentiary proof of compliance across all priority areas without further delay.
Highlighting the broader vision behind these reforms, Dulloo noted that such efforts are critical to enhance the ease of doing business in Jammu and Kashmir. He called for mission-mode implementation of the required regulatory changes. He directed the Industries & Commerce Department to ensure that all necessary documentation is completed and report submitted to him about the same.
Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh, informed the meeting that 434 reform points across various departments had been successfully implemented. Of these, 09 reform points relating to a few departments had been returned by the Task Force with observations.
Director, Industries Jammu, Arun Kumar Manhas, elaborated on the specific areas identified for improvement. The Chief Secretary reiterated that all departments must treat compliance reduction and regulatory simplification as top governance priorities, as these reforms will directly impact economic growth, investor confidence and the employment landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.
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