Work on J&K’s longest flyover complete in all respects
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 28: With the completion of J&K’s longest flyover and execution of more than 60 percent work on 20 km long stretch under Package- III so far, maximum portion of Jammu-Akhnoor road will get widened by March 2023.
Executed under Package- II of the mega project, J&K’s longest flyover from Canal Head to Ganesh Vihar Muthi near the Directorate of School Education Jammu has been fully completed and also thrown open for the traffic though unofficially as the executing agency is waiting for nod of some high profile dignitary in the Government of India for its formal inauguration.
National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), a company under the Ministry of Roads and Highways, is executing the Jammu-Akhnoor road widening project costing Rs 1345 crores, which has been divided into four Packages.
While the flyover under Package – II has been fully prepared in all respect and more than 60 percent work on 20 km long stretch under Package – III has been completed, Package – I work on 0.8 km long stretch from Bhagwati Nagar Chowk (4th Tawi Bridge) to Canal Head is all set to begin and work on 4-km long stretch from Hanuman Chowk to Army Area under Phase -IV is likely to be taken up by January next as tenders for the same have been invited.
According to S P Sangwan, General Manager of Jammu-Akhnoor Project Monitoring Unit, construction work on J&K’s longest flyover from Canal Head to Ganesh Vihar Muthi was completed very fast and that too without a single accident notwithstanding the job executed in the midst of traffic movement.
Started in November 2018, the construction work remained paralyzed for two years as some villagers in Paloura approached court and the final decision came after around two and half years. In January 2021, the land was transferred and notwithstanding the COVID pandemic constraints, such as shortage of men and material, oxygen cylinders for welding purpose, etc, the entire work was completed by the construction company within stipulated time frame i. e. by September 15, 2022.
Demolition of structures, shifting of water supply lines and underground cabling of 11 and 33 KV HT lines were the major tasks to be completed for the flyover construction. The work was allotted to M/s S P Singhla Construction Company, which is prominent name in construction of flyovers and bridges. Rs 274 crores was the total construction cost of this 4.6 km long flyover with eight lanes, including four service lanes, informed Sangwan, adding that work on this flyover has been completed in all respects, including electrification and technical tests.
Work on 0.8 km long stretch from Bhagwati Nagar Chowk ( 4th Tawi Bridge) to Canal Head, under Package- I, is also all set to start soon as the tendering exercise has been completed and the job work also allotted to the construction company. As the compensation amount has been released, the process for dismantling the structures on this stretch is likely to begin within 2-3 days, which shall be followed by the road construction work.
Further, more than 60 percent work on 20 km- long stretch from Ganesh Vihar to Khati Chowk has been completed while rest of the work is going on at a rapid pace. As all the revenue related issues have been sorted out by the district administration, the work on this stretch is likely to be completed by March 2023, said Sangwan.
As far as commencement of work on 4 km long stretch from Hanuman Chowk to Army Area under Package -IV is concerned, the process of notification for land acquisition in village Ambaran and Dasgal are under progress. The NHIDCL is required to take clearance from the Ministry of Defence as the land, which is coming in the alignment of the project, belongs to Army. However, tenders for the job work have been invited and work on this section is likely to begin by January next while ending 2025 is the deadline for completion of the entire project.
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