![Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh being briefed by Director General, Border Road Organisation (BRO), Lt. General S K Shrivastava about the construction of bridges and roads in the Kathua-Udhampur sector. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh being briefed by Director General, Border Road Organisation (BRO), Lt. General S K Shrivastava about the construction of bridges and roads in the Kathua-Udhampur sector.](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/page3-23.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 7: Kathua-Udhampur sector gets six crucial Border Roads Organisation (BRO) bridges in 2018 at a cost of over Rs. 46 crore. One of these six bridges has already become functional while the other five are likely to be completed by the end of this year.
Disclosing this here today after receiving a briefing from BRO Director General, Lt. Gen S K Shrivastava, Union Minister & Lok Sabha Member from Udhampur-Kathua-Doda parliamentary constituency, Dr Jitendra Singh said, while the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and the Union Ministry of Rural Development have cleared nearly all the pending proposals of Central Road Funded projects and PMGSY roads respectively, the Border Road Organisation (BRO) under the Ministry of Defence has also been persuaded to take up all the major projects within a definite early timeline.
As for the six crucial bridges undertaken by the BRO in this sector, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the 259 meter long Bhini bridge on Dhar-Udhampur road which was pending for last several years has already been completed and opened to traffic. Of the other major five bridges expected to be completed by the BRO before the end of 2018, the 80 meter/617 meter- span Basantar bridge on Rajpura-Madwal road will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 10.86 crore, the 275 meter/1000 meter – span Ujh bridge at a cost of Rs. 14.70 crore, the 72 meter/160 meter – span Tarnah-I bridge at Rs. 6 crore, the 47 meter/331 meter – span Bein bridge on Parole-Korepanna-Rajpura road at a cost of Rs. 4 crore and 43 meter/ 300 meter – span Tarnah-II bridge at Rs 3.6 crore.
Director General BRO informed Dr Jitendra Singh that construction work is also being carried out on 15.512 Km Rajpura-Madwal road, 34.54 Km Parole-Korepanna-Rajpura road, 27.27 Km Parmanand-Taragarh road and 89 Km Basholi-Bani road. The permanent work costing Rs. 85 lakh on Rajpura Madwal road, Rs. 1.90 core on Parole-Korepanna-Rajpura road, Rs. 3.60 crore on Parmanand-Taragarh road and Rs. 26.15 crore on Basholi-Bani road has been completed till date during the Financial Year 2017-18, he added.
At the same time, the strengthening work on the Dhar-Udhampur road is also being carried out by the BRO.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for improvement of Chadwal-Sanjimorh-Hariyachak-Paharpur road is at an advanced stage of sanction and the BRO hopes to start the work on the receipt of the sanction.
Giving a specific probable timeline for the six crucial bridges undertaken for construction by the BRO in the Kathua-Udhampur sector, Lt. Gen Shrivastava informed Dr Jitendra Singh that the Bein bridge is likely to be completed by April 2018, the Tarnah-II bridge likely to be completed by August 2018, the Basantar bridge and the Tarnah-I bridge likely to be completed by October 2018 and the Ujh bridge is likely to be completed by November, 2018.
Dr Jitendra Singh stressed upon the DG BRO to expedite the pace of work on all these projects so as to make sure that most of these projects are complete before the end of 2018. He also directed DG BRO to find a means of arranging around Rs. 3,500 crore budget required for the landmark Chattergala Tunnel which has been included in the approved list of BRO but is yet to be included in the priority list because of the enormity of the cost of construction.
Meanwhile, the 24.89 Km Dayalchak-Ramkot road and 53 Km Parol ki Nagari-Nangal road are proposed to be taken over by the BRO from the State PWD for construction and upgradation.