Governor NN Vohra has directed all state government departments and agencies concerned to take time-bound action for ensuring timely completion of all major roads and national highway projects.
The Governor was reviewing matters connected with the national highways, Border Road Organisation (BRO) roads and Mughal Road during a meeting at the civil secretariat here today.
The Governor was informed that 10 major roads, covering a length of 2,264 km, had been declared as the national highways in the state. These include the Jammu-Srinagar, Batote-Kishtwar-Simthan, Uri-Srinagar and Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch national highways.
He was informed that all six stretches on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway had been allotted and work had already started in every sector. He was told that the four-laning of the Parimpora-Narbal road on the Uri-Srinagar highway was in progress and the four-laning of the Jammu-Akhnoor sector was likely to start soon.
The work on Z-Morh Tunnel to promote all-weather connectivity with Sonamarg and beyond has also started and the work on the Zojila Tunnel project is likely to start soon, the Governor was told.
The Governor inquired about various other projects for providing all-weather connectivity to other regions of the state, particularly the Bani-Bhaderwah and Padum-Darcha road projects. He was informed that the work on a preliminary project report for construction of an 8-km tunnel on Mughal Road was in progress, while a proposal for tunnel between Bandipora and Gurez and Singhpora and Vailoo had been forwarded to the Centre for its approval.
After discussion regarding the existing arrangements, the Governor directed the officials that for effective coordination with various line departments of the state government on issues of land acquisition, removal of encroachments, relocation of utilities, forest clearances, availability of water and power, the Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), shall be the nodal officer for securing regular progress reports from all state government departments, BRO and the National Highways Authority of India and ensuring effective coordination and resolution of all impediments.
The Governor stressed the need for an umbrella arrangement for timely and regular maintenance of the national highways by various agencies concerned. He directed that regular reviews should be carried out by collecting and collating information from all implementing agencies.
It was decided that the Secretary, PWD, would be responsible for ensuring that the requisite framework along with appropriate software was put in place for ensuring timely reports and remedial actions being taken in an institutionalised manner.
The Governor expressed concern over the increasing encroachments along the national highways and the failure of the highway administrators to discharge their respective legal responsibilities under the J&K Ribbon Development Act and the Highway Administration Act, 2002.
The Governor directed the Chief Secretary to hold a separate meeting to review the issues relating to timely detection, prevention and removal of encroachments along the national highways, including the problems which arise from undecided issues relating to the acquisition of land and failure of full payments of compensation.
He directed that a time-bound action plan be drawn up for undertaking a drive to remove all encroachments along the national highways in the state. Also, no fresh encroachment should be allowed and each encroacher should be dealt with strictly.
The Governor also directed the Regional Director, National Highways Authority of India, to ensure time-bound action to repair and restore the broken/removed railing along both sides of the Pathankot-Jammu highway and to have the wild growth removed from the central verge which gave an ugly look.
With a view to ensuring timely availability of aggregates from the nearest located quarries, the Governor directed the Commissioner, Industries and Commerce, to ensure urgent formulation of a Mining Plan for obtaining the requisite environment clearance to meet the requirements of each of the various road/ highway construction agencies.
The Governor also directed the establishment of a single-window system by the Industries and Commerce Department for grant of clearances by the authorities. The Governor directed the Secretary, Industries and Commerce, to convene an urgent meeting with all concerned agencies to resolve the existing and arising issues while ensuring that there was no compromise with regard to environment concerns.
The Governor was informed that the work on Mughal Road shall be completed by March 31, 2016. He asked the Secretary, PWD, to provide requisite wayside amenities along the road after identifying suitable spots and obtaining requisite clearances from the Forest Department. The Governor also directed the Regional Director, NHAI, to take urgent action for developing layovers and way side amenities along all national highways.
He also stressed the urgent need to undertake plantation of suitable varieties along all roads and highways and directed the Principal Secretary, Forests, to urgently convene a meeting with all concerned agencies to work out an action plan for the purpose.
Guv for timely completion of highways
