Centre sanctions Rs.1337.51 crore for upgradation of Jammu-Akhnoor road

Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has approved the project for ‘upgradation to 4-lane with paved shoulder’ of Jammu-Akhnoor section (NH-144) at a total cost of Rs.1337.51 crore.

An announcement in this regard was made by the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on micro-blogging networking site Twitter here on Wednesday evening.

“The project for ‘Upgradation to 4-lane with paved shoulder of Jammu-Akhnoor section of NH-144’ has been approved at a total cost of Rs.1337.51 crore,” Gadkari tweeted.

He further tweeted, “This stretch starts from 4th Tawi Bridge and ends at Hanuman Chowk with a total distance of 31 Km in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir”.

According to an official document of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, the agency executing the upgradation to 4-lane of Jammu-road section, the package-II of the project, having a total length of 5.2 km from Canal head (Km 0.800) to Ganesh Vihar (Km 6.000) was started in July 2018. The project was awarded to M/s. S.P Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd.

“Under package-IIIA, the up-gradation to 4-lane with Paved Shoulder of Jammu-Akhnoor road section of NH-144A from Ganesh Vihar (Km 6.000) to Khati Chowk (Km 26.350), with a total length of 20.35 km was started in December in 2019 and about 55 percent physical progress has been achieved on the project so far. The project is being executed by M/s. Tarmat Ltd., Srinagar, J&K,” the document said.

Meanwhile, a one-kilometer flyover is coming up in the Jammu city under Smart City Project that will connect Canal Head to Bhagwati Nagar. The project will cost Rs.153 crore.

“The four lane flyover to be constructed at the cost of Rs.153 crores will begin from Bhagwati Nagar bridge rotary and connect with Canal Head,” an official said.

He added that the project is to be executed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL)–the central agency carrying out the work of widening the Jammu-Akhnoor road, which is in its final stage.

“About 50 kanals of land is coming under this project and the work is likely to begin in next two months,” official sources said adding that that the the Canal Head-Bhagwati Nagar Chowk will solve the traffic problem in the surrounding areas including Science College Road, Talab Tillo Road, Akhnoor Marg.

NHIDCL has almost completed the preparation of DPR and other process, he added and said, “as per the proposed DPR, the width of the flyover will be 5.5 meters at both the ends and there will be no need to acquire the property on the right side and the road can be constructed under the flyover.”

There are 38 trees on the right side and 51 on the left along the Canal-Bhagwati Nagar road but after pruning, the space will be vacated and similarly, the poles along the roadside will be shifted accordingly.

“The flyover will benefit the residents especially the problem of traffic will come to an end,” he said and added that the project will bring major relief to the residents of the city.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has expressed gratitude to the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for his approval of upgradation of Jammu-Akhnoor section.

“Grateful to Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari for his approval of upgradation of Jammu-Akhnoor section of NH-144. The project covering 31 KMs, from Tawi Bridge to Hanuman Chowk & costing Rs.1337.51 Cr would prove to be a boon for the residents,” Sinha tweeted.