*Directs for making ITMS functional within 7 days
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 21: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today in a meeting with traffic authorities made it amply clear that in no case should travel time between the two capital cities of the UT exceed beyond 7 hours on any day for light motor vehicles.
He made these remarks in a meeting called to review the traffic scenario on this road including that of the two cities.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Home; Principal Secretary, PWD; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; IG Traffic; Secretary, Transport; Deputy Commissioners Anantnag/ Ramban; SP Traffic, National Highway; District SPs, Jammu/ Srinagar/ Anantnag/ Ramban; Transport Commissioner and many other concerned officers.
Dr Mehta enjoined upon the traffic authorities to submit daily reports about the actual time taken to reach from one city to another. He told them to enhance their personnel on all the damaged portions of the road for better traffic management. He urged them not to let the traffic come to halt due to any of the hindrance. He asked them to improve the road surface damaged due to weather vagaries at all costs for smooth movement of the vehicles on this road.
The Chief Secretary impressed upon them to show zero tolerance towards road side parking hindering traffic flow. He directed for having stringent regulations in place to deal with all the violators. He asked them to deploy traffic police personnel in busy places like markets etcfor continuous vigil and better traffic management on the highway.
Dr Mehta also took stock of the construction works on different projects presently under progress. He exhorted upon them to make all out efforts to through open the T5 tunnel on Panthiyal stretch of the highway by 15th of March, Jaiswal Bridge by 31st March, and double lane of Ramban Flyover and Banihal Bye-pass by 15th of April this year. He advised them to accelerate the pace of work to meet these deadlines without any fail. He also asked the Secretary Transport and IG Traffic to drive down this road for have better idea about the measures to be taken for making the road better and safe.
The Chief Secretary also emphasized on making all the way side amenities like washrooms etc functional throughout the entire stretch of the highway. He enquired about the status of the truck holding areas designated at many locations on this road. He told them to look for one more such facility at Ramsoo also. He suggested them to come up with a DPR for additional Bailey Bridge near Ramban at an earliest so that work on the same is taken in hand by March this year.
While reviewing the traffic scenario on the roads of the two capital cities, the Chief Secretary directed the concerned authorities to make the completed phase of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) functional within 7 days. He asked them to use the CCTV network of the system to look for the violators and e-challan or tow away their vehicles for hassle-free movement of vehicles on city roads.
On the request of the Traffic authorities the Chief Secretary asked the administration to look into the possibility of taking a traffic holiday for a day every week on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway till 15th of March so that it is better utilized for making some crucial repairs and completing few essential works for making travel on this road a pleasant experience for the commuters.
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