Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 20: With work having been geared up following all necessary clearances and land acquisition at majority of the places, the four-lanning of Jammu-Udhampur Section of the National Highway 1A would be completed by June 2014. Since 43 major and minor bridges besides 8 tunnels are being constructed to avoid all the blind curves, the driving on this section would be safe and traveling time reduced considerably following completion of Rs 1813.76 crore project.
The Jammu-Udhampur is among the four sections of 300-kilometer long National Highway where the four-lanning work is being executed at present while as approval for widening of remaining two sections—Udhampur-Chenani and Nashri-Ramban is yet to be accorded. The four-lanning work would be completed first on Jammu-Udhampur followed by other three sections—Chenani-Nashri, Srinagar-Qazigund and Qazigund-Banihal.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that barring two areas—Jhajjar Kotli and Jakhani, the work on remaining portion of Jammu Bypass-Udhampur section of the National Highway was going on at a rapid pace ever since all the necessary clearances from Forest, Wildlife and Revenue Departments have been obtained by the project-executing agency.
Disclosing that 26% work at an expenditure of Rs 630 crore was completed up to July 2012, they said that rehabilitation, strengthening and four-lanning of Jammu-Udhampur Section from 15 kilometer milestone (Jammu Bypass) to 67 kilometer milestone (Udhampur) would be completed in all respects by June 2014 at an expenditure of Rs 1813.76 crore.
“Since the main objective of highway widening is to ensure safety of vehicular traffic, all the existing blind curves and steep gradients on this section of the highway are being removed by constructing 21 major and 22 minor bridges, 212 culverts, 38 pipe culverts, 174 RCC Slab/Box culverts and 22 viaducts”, they said, adding even eight tunnels of varying lengths but not exceeding 600 meters will also come up and work on the same would begin next month. Due to this not only driving on this section would be safe even the traveling time would get reduced considerably and distance by around 5 kilometers.
In response to a question, sources said, “the project is being executed on Build Operate and Transfer (Annuity) basis and Union Government would pay Rs 212 crore after every six months to M/s Shapoorji and Pallonji Ltd for maintenance of this section of the highway. However, the company would have no claim over the toll to be realized from the vehicles at Toll Plaza to be constructed at Nagrota and the same would directly go in the Union Government’s kitty”.
Apart from ensuring maintenance of Jammu-Bypass and Udhampur Section of National Highway 1A, the company would also set up health center at Nagrota with sufficient manpower and ambulances for prompt rescue operation in case of any accident on this section. Moreover, company would station sufficient number of cranes at Nagrota and Udhampur for road maintenance purpose.
To avoid parking of passenger buses on the main highway, 6 lay-bys for buses will be constructed at Nagrota Bypass, 12 at different locations on main highway and 10 at Udhampur Bypass. Similarly, 4 lay-bys for trucks will come up at Nagrota Bypass, 7 on main highway and 2 at Udhampur Bypass. The lay-bys for trucks would be larger than the same for buses in order to accommodate more load carriers in the event of blockade of highway during winter and rainy seasons.
Moreover, 9 Village Under Pass and 3 Pedestrian Under Pass would come up at different locations in order to ensure village-to-village connectivity without crossing the main National Highway.
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