Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 7: Minister for Public Works and Parliament Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri reviewed the progress of ongoing highway projects in the State during a high level meeting convened here today.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Commissioner Secretary Roads and Buildings Department, Rohit Kansal, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Muneer-ul-Islam, Director Planning, Public Public Works Department, Tariq Ahmad, Project Directors of NHAI, Chief Engineers, Superintendent/ Executive Engineers and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
The Minister directed the concerned executing agencies to ensure proper maintenance of existing highway on war footing till 4-laning works are completed. He also stressed the need for providing wayside facilities including drinking water and washroom facilities en route the National Highway, keeping in view the increasing influx of tourists and yatries, besides local commuters.
The Minister also directed to clear the bottlenecks in executing the widening works of Batote-Kishtwar-Ramban road including Nashri patch within a week’s time and asked the Divisional Commissioner and concerned Deputy Commissioners to regularly monitor and resolve the issue.
While expressing satisfaction over the construction of Jammu Udhampur Highway stretch, the minister asked the concerned authorities to deploy expert team of engineers for monitoring the construction work of the ambitious highway project .
Earlier, the minister was apprised that the work on Chenani-Nashri (41 km), Banihal-Qazigund (31 Km) is Banihal-Srinagar (68 Km) in progress. While as Udhampur-Ramban (43 Km) and Ramban-Banihal (36 Km) are the newly awarded projects.
The minister was informed that there would be 63 km reduction in length from Jammu to Srinagar and travel time will be reduced from 9 hrs to 5 hrs with the completion of this project.
The Minister also directed the concerned agencies to allow level crossing at Bijbehara Khanbal to enable the use of 13 km Anantnag Bypass road to ensure smooth traffic movement in the town.
The Minister also reviewed progress of Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Goha, Srinagar-Shopian-Qazigund and Kargil-Zanaskar roads.
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