Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 16: Underlining importance of road connectivity in over all development, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand said accessibility is a key factor for socio-economic transformation of rural and border belts of the state.
He said Government is working on the road map to develop better infrastructure in all the three regions of the State and well laid network of all weather roads is an integral part of the plan of holistic development of the State.
Mr. Tara Chand said this while chairing a high level officers meeting called to discuss major projects undertaken in border and far-flung areas of Jammu division.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Pradeep Gupta, District Development Commissioner, Jammu Sanjeev Verma, Chief Engineer, SAMPARK U.C. Mehta, and SDM Akhnoor Nagendra Singh Jamwal attended the meeting.
Detailed deliberations were done on the status of various projects undertaken in the border belt and roadmap was drawn for early completion of these strategically important road links.
Major border road projects which were discussed in the meeting include Jammu- Akhnoor road, Akhnoor-Pallanwala road, Akhnoor- Jourian road and Kappa Gala – Balli road.
Lauding efforts of SAMPARK in providing connectivity to border areas, the Deputy Chief Minister said the engineers and staff of the organisation are doing a yeoman’s service to the nation by constructing, improving and maintaining strategic road network of the border areas of the State, adding that the project authorities are not only opening new routes for trade but are also connecting remote and inaccessible areas to the rest of the country.
The meeting was informed that double laning of Akhnoor-Jourian and Akhnoor-Pallanwala road is underway and up gradation of Kappa Gala to Balli road is going on at fast pace.
Directing authorities to speed up pace of work, Mr. Tara Chand said people of the area are facing difficulties as work on both the roads is going on simultaneously and immediate need is to concentrate on completion of one road project. He directed that since road works on Jourian road are in final stages of completion, so all efforts should be made to complete the same by coming December. Project for extending the road till Khour should also be prepared and taken up at the earliest, he added.
Taking note of the issues of forest land and land compensation brought up during the discussion, the Deputy Chief Minister instructed the SDM to look into the matter and immediately take up the matter with concerned authorities so that work does not get delayed.
While reviewing the requirements of Jammu-Akhnoor road, Mr. Tara Chand said besides connecting border districts, the road caters to a major area which is witnessing increased activity of settlement and expansion, adding that in order to address requirements of future growth and development of the area road status needs to be upgraded. He directed officers to prepare fresh project for the road and send the same to the concerned ministry, so that the project can be started at the earliest.
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