From the very beginning, Modi Government has given due importance to road connectivity issue of Jammu and Kashmir. This is a hilly Himalayan State where large numbers of people live in villages and hamlets at mountain heights. Connectivity of these areas is rather tough because of the geography and topography of the State. We have one main National Highway connecting Ladakh -Srinagar-Jammu to the rest of the country. The importance of this National Highway does not need any detailed description. Being the life line, this Highway has to be kept in super excellent condition round the clock. At the same time, it is unavoidable that an alternative to the Highway is also found and developed. Roads built in some areas are outdated like the one between Batote and Bhaderwah. There are many alignments that need to be upgraded and improved. Then there is requirement of building new roads to connect hitherto unconnected areas of the State. The Chief Minister had recently met with the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways and discussed the present status of Highways in the State.
In the light of that meeting, the Chief Minister chaired a high powered meeting of various departments that are directly or indirectly connected with the road network in the State. Secretaries of concerned departments gave an appraisal of current situation in regard to repairs, renovation, remodeling, improvement and new road projects under consideration of the Government. The Chief Minister issued instructions for expediting these works and ensuring that projects are completed within the time frame. In a way, the Chief Minister was briefed on almost all aspects of roads and Highways and the works that are underway and the projects that are in the pipeline. It has to be noted that according to the Secretary PWD an amount of Rs.42,668 crore has been sanctioned under PM’s Development Package – TAMIER (The Aggressive Micro Economic and Infrastructure Rebuilding), which include 12 major roads, three mega tunnels and Ring Road projects for the two Capital Cities. The expenditure on building two ring roads in two capital cities of the State will be borne by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways under 10:90 scheme meaning the State will incur only 10 per cent of expenditure in acquiring the land and the Centre will meet the bulk of 90 per cent. The Chief Minister was in favour of categorizing Mughal Road as alternate National Highway and strongly recommended that the Centre make a declaration to that effect and also undertake tunneling the Pir ki Gali that would reduce the time and distance along this Highway making it all weather road to connect Kashmir with Jammu.
We welcome the effort of the Chief Minister in taking a full review of the status of Highways in the State and other alignments. Road connectivity is the key to all round progress of the State.
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