Avtar Bhat
SRINAGAR, June 4: Decks have been cleared for handing over of much talked about Ganderbal road to R&B by GREF.
According to high placed sources four kilometer road from Pandach to Bihama Chowk in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir will be taken over by the R&B at first instance followed by the handing and taking over of another strip of road from Bihama Chowk to Wailoo bridge in Kangan tehsil of Ganderbal district.
Sources said the Government is in process of taking over the road from GREF and former orders will be issued by R&B soon as the GREF authorities in principle have also agreed to handover the 18.5 kilometre strip of road from Zakoora -Srinagar to Wailoo bridge to R&B following the directives of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah as the road falls in his Constituency and is presently in dilapidated condition due to its poor maintenance.
The road which has been earlier a part of Srinagar -Ladakh Highway was maintained by GREF. But after the construction of new bypass to Ladakh from Srinagar to Wailoo via Manasbal-Barsoo some years back, the GREF did not pay attention to the maintenance of this strip of road which is the life line of Gandebal district.
The R&B had constructed a double lanned road from Soura to Pandach but it could not go ahead with the widening of road onwards Pandach as the same was being under the charge of GREF.
The people in the area had many times brought the issue in the notice of the authorities including the Chief Minister who represents the Ganderbal Assembly segment, sources said, adding taking cognizance of the situation after seeing the condition of the road which is in shambles Omar Abdullah issued directives to R&B to issue the order for transfer of the road to R&B immediately.
However, earlier the R&B Ministry was reluctant in issuance of order and it wanted that the GREF should maintain and widen the road in future also, sources said, adding the same was turned by GREF authorities and they were willing in handing over the road to R&B as it had no utility for the GREF after the construction of Manasbal by pass.
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