Chief Secretary reviews progress on J&K highway projects; stresses on abiding by deadlines

2 January 2025

SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today convened a meeting with NHAI, NHIDCL, Beacon and Project SAMPARK to review progress on construction of different highways across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, APD, Commissioner Secretary, Forest Department, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu/Kashmir, Secretary, R&B, Deputy Commissioners, Chief Engineers of PWD besides other concerned officers.
The Chief Secretary impressed upon the project implementing agencies to expedite progress on the ongoing works so that the fixed deadlines are met without any fail. He observed that the repeated slippage in timelines for completion of these projects should be avoided as it questions the professional standards of the organisation.

The Chief Secretary directed the Secretary PWD and concerned divisional administrations to take monthly assessment of these projects besides visiting the sites to remove any bottlenecks hampering their progress. He also urged them to extend full cooperation to the concerned executing agencies for speedy completion of these projects.
Dulloo also had a project wise appraisal of progress achieved, so far, in each of the work. He enquired about the expected date of completion of work on each phase of these projects along with the current status of physical progress registered in each of them.
Some of the significant projects of NHAI reviewed during the meeting included different phases of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, remaining work on the tunnel on Ring Road Jammu, tunnels and viaducts on Udhampur-Ramban section including Dalwas and Cafeteria Morh.
The Chief Secretary also assessed progress on Marog to Digdol tunnel and Digdol to Khuni-Nallah tunnels under the Ramban-Banihal section of NH-44. In addition, opening of Banihal Bypass besides ongoing work on different phases of Ring Road Srinagar were discussed in detail. The concerned divisional and district administrations were asked to assist the construction company in extending the working hours so that the work on this prestigious projects progresses on expected lines.
The road projects of NHIDCL, reviewed during the meeting, included progress on completion of Zojila Tunnel, Z-Morh Tunnel, Jammu-Akhnoor Road, Chenani- Sudhmahadev Road, Goha-Khellani, Khellani-Khanabal Highways and Singhpoora-Vailoo tunnel which is part of this project.
The projects being executed by BRO under project Beacon and Sampark which came up for discussion included Akhnoor-PoonchHighway, Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri Highway, Sangrama flyover, Pattanand Baramulla Bypass, Rafiabad-Kupwara-Trehgam Highway, Khanabal-Pahalgam Road, Rajouri-Thanamandi-Surankot Roads besides others. Various projects of R&B including construction of Flyovers at Bemina and Sanat Nagar, Rehabilitation of Chanapora and Tengpora bridges Srinagar-Budgam-Pulwama-Shopian-Kulgam-Qazigund Highway (NH-444), construction of by-passes for three main towns of Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian besides other road safety and strengthening works currently going on in different parts of the UT were also reviewed in the meeting.