SRINAGAR, Jan 2: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo held a meeting today with representatives from NHAI, NHIDCL, Beacon, and Project SAMPARK to evaluate the progress of various highway construction projects throughout Jammu and Kashmir.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary urged the project implementation agencies to accelerate the ongoing work to ensure that all established deadlines are adhered to without exception. He noted that continuous delays challenge the professionalism of the organizations involved.
He instructed the Secretary of PWD and relevant divisional administrations to conduct monthly evaluations of these projects and to visit construction sites regularly to address any issues obstructing their advancement. Furthermore, he encouraged them to provide full support to the executing agencies to facilitate the swift completion of these initiatives.
Dulloo reviewed progress on each project and inquired about anticipated completion dates, as well as the current status of physical work for each project.
Significant projects discussed included various phases of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, outstanding work on the Ring Road Jammu tunnel, and the tunnels and viaducts on the Udhampur-Ramban segment, covering aspects like Dalwas and Cafeteria Morh.
The Chief Secretary also assessed the status of the Marog to Digdol tunnel and the Digdol to Khuni-Nallah tunnels under the Ramban-Banihal section of NH-44. The meeting also examined the Banihal Bypass and ongoing work on different phases of the Ring Road in Srinagar in depth. The appropriate divisional and district administrations were instructed to assist the construction company in extending working hours to ensure satisfactory progress on these critical projects.
The NHIDCL road projects reviewed included the Zojila Tunnel, Z-Morh Tunnel, Jammu-Akhnoor Road, Chenani-Sudhmahadev Road, Goha-Khellani, Khellani-Khanabal Highways, and the Singhpoora-Vailoo tunnel.
Projects executed by BRO under Project Beacon and Sampark that were discussed included the Akhnoor-Poonch Highway, the Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri Highway, Sangrama flyover, Pattan and Baramulla Bypass, Rafiabad-Kupwara-Trehgam Highway, and Khanabal-Pahalgam Road, along with Rajouri-Thanamandi-Surankot Roads, among others. Various R&B projects were also reviewed, including flyovers at Bemina and Sanat Nagar, rehabilitation of Chanapora and Tengpora bridges on the Srinagar-Budgam-Pulwama-Shopian-Kulgam-Qazigund Highway (NH-444), bypass construction for the principal towns of Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian, as well as other ongoing road safety and strengthening works across the UT.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, APD, Commissioner Secretary of the Forest Department, Divisional Commissioners from Jammu and Kashmir, Secretary of R&B, Deputy Commissioners, Chief Engineers of PWD, and other relevant officials.
