Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 1: Minis-ter for Public Works, Naeem Akhtar today said that major initiatives are afoot to provide better road connectivity and ensure effective traffic management in Kashmir valley by completion of major road and infrastructure projects.
The Minister was speaking at the review meeting of Public Works Department here today, which was attended by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Chief Engineers of R&B and PMGSY, Director ERA Kashmir and other concerned officials.
Naeem Akhtar said that the Government is committed to build a reliable infrastructure that is able to provide the best services to the citizens. He said that the Government has embarked on a massive programme to build new roads, bridges and flyovers. He said that by next year, the problem of traffic congestion in Srinagar city and other towns will be addressed to a major extent.
He said that work on Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover, Mahjoor Nagar bridge and TRC grade separator will be completed by this year.
The Minister said that construction of vital bund road from Rambagh to Gangbug would be undertaken soon and directed the concerned to expedite the construction and upgradation of uptown-downtown connecting roads particularly at Tankipora-Zaindar Mohalla and Habbakadal-Babapora link roads. He said that this will greatly increase the mobility in the interiors of the city.
He also directed the officials to prepare the feasibility report of Pandach-Kupwara road that will connect various historical and religious places in Ganderbal, Bandipora and Kupwara districts. He said that the road spanning over a length of around 150 kms will be a boon for the Central-North Kashmir connectivity. He said that work on the prestigious four-lane Boulevard road project is also going on and would also be a great help to tourists and locals alike.
Meanwhile, Naeem Akhtar reviewed progress under Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in Kashmir Division.
The Minister said that the Government is investing resources on creation of durable assets like roads, bridges and buildings of public utility, which are vital for overall development.
He said that to help contractors, technocrats, entrepreneurs and other job creators to benefit from this expenditure, various initiatives are underway to remove hiccups in ease of doing business. He said that a committee of Chief Engineers has already been constituted who will propose the ways by which participation of local contractors and technocrats will be encouraged.
He said that there are number of projects like in Ramban and Banihal National Highway stretch where works worth crores of rupees are stuck as local contractors are not coming forward. He said that the working of the Government is being changed in such a way that people find it easy to work on the Government projects.
During the meeting, the Minister was informed that the coming fiscal will see a record achievement in terms of network of new roads which would be laid across the Kashmir valley. It was revealed that around 600 kms of new roads will be completed in 2017-18.
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