Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Jan 29: The Preliminary Project Report (PPR) of Rs 2000 crore tentatively were submitted in the review meeting of various departments here, today to give a facelift and development of holy township of Katra town under the chairmanship of Chief Engineer PWD (R&B) Tilak Raj.
The meeting was held in the presence of MLA, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Constituency, Baldev Raj Sharma, who stressed the need for coordinated, time-bound and pilgrim-centric development of Katra town. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Katra, Piyush Sadhotra also participated in the meeting.
The Chief Engineer directed all concerned departments to recheck their respective PPRs and submit the final PPRs, duly signed by the concerned departments, on or before February 3 this year.
During the meeting, MLA Baldev Raj Sharma also highlighted the background and continuous follow-up of the proposed road development projects. It was stated that on June 6 last year, the MLA had submitted a representation to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during his visit to Katra, seeking development of three Smart Roads, 24×7 electricity supply in Katra, and augmentation of water supply in Katra. The three Smart Roads included, Asia Chowk to Ban Ganga (via Jammu Road), Bhumika Temple Junction to Bus Stand (via Kashmir/Panthal road), Udhampur Road Junction to Hospital and Raghunath Ji Temple.
The representation was thereafter forwarded to the Union Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh on June 10 last year. Today’s was the second review meeting in continuation of the earlier decision.
During the meeting, the department-wise PPRs and cost estimates for civil works (PWD – R&B) estimates for widening and development of roads, including, Asia Chowk to Ban Ganga (via Jammu Road) Bhumika Temple Junction to Bus Stand (via Kashmir/Panthal Road) Udhampur Road Junction to Hospital & Raghunath Ji Temple were reviewed.
The scope includes road widening, construction of footpaths, rotaries, multi-level parking, and allied works — Rs 681 crore.
Tentative cost of land compensation — Rs 217 crore, Tentative cost of structure compensation — Rs 217 crore For Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, utility shifting of PHE installations — Rs 15 crore supply of drinking water from Ans/Anji Nallah — Rs 342 crore For Power Development Department (PDD), PPR for underground cabling under the Smart City Project of Katra town — Rs 86 crore and for Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED), Shifting of sewer network laid in Katra town Rs 3 crore.
After the conclusion of the meeting a site visit was conducted at Upper Bus Stand, during which directions issued to the Executive Engineer, PWD, Katra, to prepare and submit the PPRs within seven days for upgradation of taxi stand with a multi level parking facility and development of private paid parking facility at Upper Bus Stand to ease the traffic congestion.
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