High-level team to monitor highway expansion: Altaf Bukhari

Speaking on demand for grants in the department under his change, Bukhari said he had received “many complaints and representations that the highway is not getting completed in targeted time frame.”

“I have personally reviewed the matter and designated Secretary (Technical) of the R&B Department to regularly monitor the progress of the completion of the Highway. I have also proposed the formulation of a High Level Project Monitoring Committee (HLPMC) under my Chairmanship to review the progress of 4-lanning of Highway and address and resolve all inter departmental issues and problems coming in the way of execution of the project,” he said.

He said highways are “our lifelines and connecting all habitations through roads is an equally important and priority area for us.”

“The department will be making all out efforts to build new roads to those habitations/areas where no road connectivity exists,” he said.

He said about 1700 new habitations have already been connected with a road length of 6000 Kms under PMGSY programme.

“We are vigorously pursuing sanction of fresh projects under PMGSY Phase X. We are also pursuing 61 new projects worth Rs 323.89 crore that have been prioritized for seeking loan assistance under RIDF XX of the NABARD loan scheme,” he said.

Bukhari said a large number of schemes have been taken in hand for execution but don’t have commensurate financial allocations to ensure their timely completion.

“This problem is more acute in the Bridges sector. This is a scenario that is undesirable and needs to be set right. In addition a new challenge has been thrown before us and that is the colossal damage to public infrastructure that has occurred due to the devastating floods of September 2014. Untimely snowfall and continuous rainfall have made things even worse for the road sector. Yet another grave issue that has been brought out is the problem of accumulated un-paid liabilities for work done,” he said, assuring the House that his department is “conscious of and sensitive to all these issues.”

“While, internally we would focus on timely delivery of projects and highest quality standards, we would also examine issues of funding and legitimate claims seriously and in close consultation with the sister departments of Planning and Finance,” he said.

He said his department has been “on toes” to restore the entire infrastructure affected by the recent floods.

He said he proposes to introduce construction of Rigid Pavement (Cement Concrete) roads instead of flexible pavement (Bituminous Blacktop) roads in low-lying areas which remain inundated due to rain and snow.

“In this regard a pilot project is intended to be undertaken on experimental basis during the ensuing financial year,” he said.

He said Rs 565.71 crore has been spent under R&B Sector during 2013-14 and a road length of 1376 Km blacktopped besides Water Bound Macadam (WBM) laid for a length of 2354 Km.

“Project proposals for Rs 661.74 crore for funding for inter-state and intra-state roads under various centrally sponsored schemes have been submitted to MoRTH. These include roads like Jammu-Pathankote, Mahanpur-Basohli, Basohli-Bani, Bhaderwah to Bajootra HP, Bhagwati Nagar Akhnoor road bridge over Rawi river Kathua at village Keerian Kathua etc,” he said.

“The State Govt is pursuing the matter with Govt of India for seeking external financial assistance from Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) under Official Development Assistance (ODA) Loan for 20 major projects which include construction of 06 tunnels and 14 major /district road projects.”

He said soon after taking over, “I had two back-to-back meetings with Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways and Union Minister for Rural Development in New Delhi about sanctioning of projects under CRF and PMGSY Phase X.

Having met the Ministers I feel assured that we would be able to garnish their support for providing us adequate funds under CRF, PMGSY, PMRP and Inter State Connectivity. The government is vigorously pursuing various other projects too with the Union government,” he said.

He said the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Govt. of India has recently declared seven new Highways in the state.

“The government is pursuing very hard with MoRTH to have Mughal road, Doda Desasa Kapran Verinag road and Jawahal Tunnel exit Verinag-Achabal-Mattan-Pahalgam declared as National Highway,” he said.

He said capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar face acute problems of traffic congestion. “The issue of constructing of ring roads around the two cities was taken up with the National Highway Authority of India.

It has already got the feasibility report prepared and the state government is pursuing the case for support on 100% central funding,” he said.