Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Sept 14: Director General (DG) Border Road Organization (BRO) Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh today briefed Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh about the double-laning of the Basohli-Bani-Bhaderwah Road and other important road and bridge projects being executed by the BRO in the region.
In a meeting lasting over 45 minutes, the Minister was updated about the status of the ongoing work and informed that upgradation from single lane to double lane of the stretch of road between Basohli and Bani measuring 89 km is now proceeding satisfactorily, after initial hassles last year on account of certain issues related to forest clearance. Being constructed at a budget of approximately Rs.110 crore, the work of double-laning of this 89 kms stretch is by and large complete, with only 9 kms left.
However, the BRO chief informed Dr Jitendra Singh that the second stretch from Bani to Bhaderwah, with a balance work worth Rs.346 crore, is planned for completion by 2021. Providing details about this stretch, he said, the formation and surfacing work has been completed from Km 89 to Km 102, whereas from Km 102 to Km 128, Km 128 to Km 135 and Km 135 to Km 166, the execution is at different stages.
Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh also informed Dr Jitendra Singh, that with his intervention and follow-up, the proposal for the second bridge on river Devika near Military Hospital Chowk in Udhampur has been approved and the work is expected to start soon.
Dr Jitendra Singh stressed upon expediting the work so that it could be completed as early as possible, thus providing public relief and ease of travel.
Giving a resume of the other important projects, BRO chief recalled that the 259 meter Bhini bridge on Dhar Road Udhampur was inaugurated by Dr Jitendra Singh last year, while at least six new BRO Bridges, mostly in the Kathua district will be complete by early next year.
The Kishtwar-Dhul, 15.61 kms road work, being executed by the BRO is also expected to be complete by March 2019 while the work on 69.98 kms Galhar to Gulabgarh to Sansari road by BRO is also under progress. The balance work on this road will amount to Rs.369 crore and the entire completion of the project may happen by 2021.
Dr Jitendra Singh appreciated the work being done by the BRO in the region. He suggested that the local public representatives should also be kept on board during the execution of the work so that there is a sense of participation and mutual ownership.
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