Mir Farhat
Srinagar, Dec 10: The Central and State Governments have not released a penny for widening of the “prioritised” Boulevard road that skirts the famous Dal Lake from Dalgate to Kralsangri at Brein in Nishat.
Widening of the road which is at present 22 feet wide was announced by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on August 2, 2011 with an approval of Rs. 60 crore and had directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to start it on war-footing.
The width of the two-lane road was to be increased by 8 metres on the hill side, leaving the Dal side untouched to make it four-lane.
Initially, the Government proposed to construct a cantilever on the Dal Lake to widen it on both sides, but after facing public outcry the plan was shelved as environmentalists pointed out that the cantilever would destroy the Dal’s ecology.
Officials in the PWD said the project has not progressed an inch in the last three years as not a single proposal out of the two sent to the two Governments has been approved yet.
Senior Engineer PWD, Satish Razdan, said the widening would be carried out in two phases- one from Nehru Park to Kralsangri and another from Dalgate (Badyari) to Nehru Park.
The project involves a total cost, construction and acquisition as well, of Rs. 85.30 crores.
“For phase I, Rs. 23.46 crore is required for construction of the new road and Rs. 22.08 crore for acquisition of the land. And for phase II, Rs. 10.61 crore are needed for construction, Rs. 29.15 crore for acquisition of land,” Razdan said.
Out of these two components of funds, one proposal- from Dalgate to Nehru Park- has been sent to the State Government and another from Nehru Park to Kralsangri to Central Government’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways under Central Road Fund (CRF), he added.
Razdan said the land that needs to be acquired for the road widening adds up to 69 kanlas which is only private land. “24 kanals are to be acquired from Dalgate to Nehru Park and 45 kanals for second section. This is excluding Government land.”
Besides, the private land the Government has to provide land to the hoteliers and shopkeepers whose structures come up in the line of widening. However, nothing has been done in this regard so far.
Delay in release of the funds has halted this vital project which many see would further boost tourism along the Dal Lake.
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