NEW DELHI, Sep 18:
Government has exempted relief-carrying vehicles going to Jammu & Kashmir from paying toll and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari plans to visit the flood-hit areas soon for an on-the-spot survey of the damaged roads.
“The Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has authorised the State Principal Resident Commissioner at the J&K house in New Delhi to issue exemption certificates to vehicles carrying such relief material from Delhi to Jammu till 24th of this month,” an official statement said.
The decision has been taken on the request of some organisations mobilising relief material to help the people in flood affected areas of the state.
“The Minister of Road Transport & highways and Rural Development, Drinking Water & Sanitation, Nitin Gadkari is expected to visit the flood affected areas of J&K in the next few days for an on-the-spot survey of the damaged roads, especially the rural roads built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY),” it said.
With water levels receding in Kashmir valley, the Centre has begun an assessment of the magnitude of the damage caused to the road network in the state by the unprecedented floods.
The Centre has been airlifting drinking water bottles for the flood victims and has also dispatched water purification plants of four lakh litres per day capacity to help augment drinking water supply in the valley.
J&K was hit by the worst-ever floods since 1892, wreaking havoc in several districts on either side of the Pir Panjal mountain range.
Public infrastructure like bridges, roads and Government buildings worth several thousand crore has been destroyed by the floods while the damage to private property including crops like apple and paddy is estimated to be several times higher. (AGENCIES)
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