Doda was deliberately neglected by previous rulers: Dr Jitendra
J&K will match developed States of India: LG
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 24: Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari said today that Rs 50,000 crore worth tunnels are being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir and the Government would announce works to the tune of Rs one lakh crore in the Union Territory over next two years which will boost road connectivity, tourism, industry and generate employment.
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He also announced seven more National Highways and roads in Jammu and Kashmir, six of them in Jammu alone,completion of work on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in two years and construction of tunnel on Mughal road.
Gadkari was speaking at a function in Doda district of Jammu region after laying foundation of 25 major National Highway projects in Jammu division at the cost of Rs 11,721 crore involving 259 kilometre roads, highways and tunnels.
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and BJP MP from Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat Jugal Kishore Sharma attended the function among others.
“Rs 50,000 crore worth works on tunnels are going on in Jammu and Kashmir. Works to the tune of Rs 11,721 crore have been announced today. And Rs one lakh crore worth works will be announced during next two years in Jammu and Kashmir,” Gadkari said amid cheers from the crowd.
He said out of all the tunnels being constructed across the country, nearly half of them fall in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Union Minister announced that work on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway will be completed in next two years and travel time between two capital cities will be reduced to four hours.
He announced construction of inter-Model Station for holy town of Katra in Reasi district which will be linked with Delhi-Katra Expressway and will have all facilities inside like Railway Station, helipad, Bus Stand, petrol pump, electronic charging etc.
“With the construction of Delhi-Katra Expressway, the travel time between Delhi to Jammu will be reduced to four hours, from Delhi to Katra it will be cut down to six hours and it will be eight hours run from Delhi to Srinagar,” Gadkari said
With the construction of Expressways, New Delhi-Mumbai travel time will come down to 12 hours while New Delhi to Chandigarh, Jaipur and Haridwar travel time will be just two hours.
The Union Minister formally announced construction of seven more National Highways and roads in the Union Territory including six in Jammu and one in Kashmir.
The highways include Kathua-Basohli-Bani-Bhaderwah-Doda, Doda-Bhaderwah-Chamba, Surankote-Bafliaz-Shopian- Srinagar, Atholi, Machail-Kargil, Dayalachak-Challa-Billawar-Manpur-Basohli, Tawi bridge-Jammu Airport-Miran Sahib-RS Pura-Indo-Pak border, all in Jammu and Narabal- Tangmarg – Gulmarg- Baramulla in Kashmir.
He announced Peer Ki Gali tunnel on Mughal Road for which Detailed Project Road (DPR) is being prepared.
“Road connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir will boost tourism, industry, employment and overcome poverty. J&K will be a prosperous Union Territory,” Gadkari said, adding the new road network is being laid as per European standards.
He said there was 1695 kilometres length of the National Highways in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014 when Narendra Modi Government took over. Since then, the highway length had gone up to 2664 kilometres and it is further increasing.
He also listed many National Highways and roads in Jammu and Kashmir besides the tunnels on which work is apace including Chenani-Doda-Kishtwar-Anantnag, Jammu-Poonch and Ring Road.
He added that with the completion of Ring Road, traffic jams in Jammu will come down and it will also lead to development of rural areas.
“Running of the Electric buses will bring down fares,” Gadkari said and suggested introduction of air conditioned electronic buses in J&K.
In his address, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh said development in Jammu and Kashmir during last seven years was “unheard of” and took a swipe at previous rulers from erstwhile Doda constituency saying it was the BJP Government led by Narendra Modi at the Centre which took roads, Post Offices, Banks etc to their home villages.
Without naming anyone, Dr Jitendra Singh said the political leaders from erstwhile Doda district who remained Ministers, MPs, MLAs etc “intentionally” kept the areas under-developed to garner votes.
“We introduced new political culture to make up for loss of 70 years. And, it was because of this that the BJP’s victory margin in 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat jumped by six times as compared to 2014 Parliamentary polls,” Dr Jitendra Singh, who is MP from Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha seat, said in a hard hitting speech directly targeting the political leaders of erstwhile Doda district who remained at the helm of affairs.
Though he didn’t name anyone, the target was obviously towards Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo, Khalid Najib Suhrawardhy and Abdul Mujeed Wani among others, who served as Ministers at the Centre as well as Jammu and Kashmir representing erstwhile Doda district.
He said it was the BJP Government which connected many rural areas with road network. Some villages saw Post Office and Bank for the first time. What the political leaders who ruled Doda and Kishtwar for 70 years did”? he asked.
“Development works which have been taken up in erstwhile Doda district are unheard of. None would have thought that Kishtwar will get an airfield, the work on which is in progress, Ganpat bridge in Doda was just on pillars and everybody wanted to know when the pillars will be connected. It was completed in our term. None would have thought that Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Doda will be a National Highway. Similarly, many more Highways have been announced and the work is either on or is about to be taken up,” Dr Jitendra Singh said.
He added that it was after takeover by Narendra Modi Government that ignored and neglected areas started getting the Government’s attention.
He also referred to linking of Marmat with National Highway and sanction of degree colleges in many areas.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said road connectivity will improve economic conditions of Jammu and Kashmir as they will give boost to industry, tourism, business and generate employment.
“There has been revolution in Jammu and Kashmir in construction of National Highways and roads. And it’s just a beginning as many more Highways and road projects are being taken up in the Union Territory,” Sinha said, adding J&K has been touching new heights.
The Lieutenant Government said there has been three times fast construction of road network and macadamization in Jammu and Kashmir than earlier.
“With strong economy, Jammu and Kashmir will match with developed States of the country,” he said and cited figures on construction of roads, highways and macadamization.
The Lieutenant Governor referred to transparent recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir saying not even a single complaint was received against the recently issued selection lists.
“Before 2019, works were done for selected lots. Now, the administration is working for the common man,” he said.
Sinha said Rs 14,000 crore worth proposals for industrial investments in Jammu and Kashmir have been cleared and the figure will reach Rs 35,000 crore by this year-end.
“This will lead to employment and business opportunities,” he added.
The Lt Governor said that after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the execution of new roads, tunnels and other basic Infrastructure has gained huge push to ensure the overall development of the UT of J&K under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also noted that the progress of construction of new roads have been doubled across the J&K under the guidance of Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari.
Noting that roads are now being built at twice the speed as before, Sinha said that there has been a radical change in its progress under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Last year, 2402 km of road was constructed under PMGSY in Jammu division. Since August 2019, taking into account the figures of October 2021, 3885 kms length of road has been built under PMGSY in Jammu division alone. As many as 109 projects have been completed in Jammu division at a cost of Rs 455 crore, including 14 bridges. Apart from this, 9 bridges worth Rs 19 crores have been completed under various other schemes, he added.
The Lt Governor said that infrastructure development and raising the standard of living of the common man is an important part of the overall economic priorities of the Centre and the J&K Government.
“Now macadamisation of the road is also taking place at double or triple times the speed as compared to earlier. In 2019, 2290 km of road was blacktopped, while last year, 5136 km of road was macadamized. This year a target of macadamisation of 8000 km of road has been set”, he added
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