Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 1: Minister for CA&PD, Zulfkar Ali on behalf of Minister for R&B, informed the Lower House that due to September 2014 floods and continuous submergence followed by recent heavy rains, the existing National Highway from Jammu to Srinagar suffered extensive damages at various locations.
National Highway Authority of India, project BEACON and also the State PWD are making all out efforts to undertake the restoration works and keep the road open for smooth movement of the traffic, he said in reply to calling attention notice by Vikar Rasool Wani.
The Minister said that existing Jammu-Udhampur section of the National Highway suffered damages at Km 9.5, Km 11.8, Km 12.8, Km 14, Km 15, Km 17.1, Km 18.8, Km 20.4, Km 23.1 to 26.0 Km, Km 32.25… of Udhampur Bypass. He said damages were restored under the provisions of concession agreement with National Highway Authority of India. He said restoration works have also been undertaken at Chenani-Nashri tunnel project site and Banihal.
The Minister further said that the condition of the road is poor at some places due to frequent landslides/shooting stones which have occurred due to continuous heavy rains in the area from September 2014 onwards. He said the Project BEACON is making all out efforts to ensure smooth movement of the traffic on the vulnerable stretches of the National Highway and keep the road open.
The Minister said as far as Banihal by-pass and Qazigund-Srinagar section of the National Highway is concerned, it is a fact that the road has got extensively damaged at various locations especially at Barsoo, Lethpora, Pampore to Panthachowk. He said the urgent restoration work of the road was taken up by BRO to ensure its immediate trafficability.
He informed that on the requisition of the NHAI, the PWD Kashmir formulated a proposal for maintenance of the road at critical stretches at the cost of Rs. 4.30 crore. He said NHAI conveyed its authorization in the matter and accordingly, tenders were floated on January 5/6, 2015 and after completion of the tendering process, the works were allotted on January 20, 2015. He said subsequently, the restoration works of the critical stretches were taken up for execution on January 21, 2015.
The Minister also informed that due to absence of proper drainage, these critical stretches get submerged under accumulated surface run-off after every precipitation thereby rendering the restorations futile. He said the absence of drainage and the continuous wet weather conditions have deteriorated the carriage-way and the quantum of damages gets increased day by day.
The Minister said that this issue was highlighted by the department and a joint inspection by NHAI authorities and PWD officers was conducted on March 1, 2015 on the basis of which revised cost estimated were framed at Rs. 24.36 crore for the restoration of the critical stretches and other damages on the National Highway. He said so far, NHAI has released an amount of Rs. one crore to Public Works Department Kashmir.
The Minister further informed that Project Director NHAI convened a meeting at Srinagar on March 23, 2015, wherein, he informed that now onwards the maintenance of the National Highway from Srinagar to Qazigund will be undertaken by the National Highway Authority of India through M/S RAMKY.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel