R&B deptt rolls out first ever “Road Gazette of J&K”

“The Road Gazette shall serve as an inventory of all roads in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides, serve as standard reference book for road classification for implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Ribbon Development Act, 1950 besides, guidance for department in prioritizing up-gradation of roads, design, estimation, and preparation of DPRs, maintenance of roads, quality control checks, snow clearance and planning future infrastructure”, reads the document issued by Principal Secretary to the Government, Shailendra Kumar.

While framing the document all the stakeholder departments have been taken on board in compiling the inventory and classification of roads. The classification of roads is mainly based on Indian Roads Congress guidelines which provides all technical support on the subject besides directives of the Ministry of Roads Transport and Highway (MoRTH), Government of India issued from time to time.

As per the gazette, the UT Government has created a strong network of roads of approximately 40,000 km under various categories which are serving as a lifeline for the social and economic development of the territory.
Out of 40,000 Km network of road, the classification stands as 84.1 km of road falls under Mugal Road, 4439.3 km under NHAI/ NHIDCL/ BRO, 1394.6 km under Municipal Roads Srinagar, 3415.4 km under PMGSY Kashmir, 13953.9 km under R&B Kashmir and 514.3 km under Municipal Roads Jammu.

“In order to have an effective management system for managing and maintaining these roads a standard Road Gazette necessarily needs to be in place. As unless the complete road inventory along with its other relevant details are documented in a systemic manner the management of these vital assets cannot be ensured. It is with this vision that the PW(R&B) Department has initiated the process of Classification of Roads and framing the Road Gazette for the roads of Jammu and Kashmir”, the gazette reads.

“J&K has essentially a rural oriented economy with most of its population living in its villages. In the year 2000, it was estimated that out of 3767 habitations 2923 habitations were without any all-weather road access. This affected the quality of life of the people living in villages”, the gazette reads.

“The road connectivity is a key component of rural development by promoting access to economic and social services and thereby generating increased agricultural income and productive employment opportunities. A major thrust for development of rural road was given under PMGSY programme”, it reads.

This scheme was launched with full funding from the Central Government. The Rural Roads included under PMGSY cover both Other District Roads (ODR) and Village Roads (VR). The ODRs serve the rural areas of production and providing them without let to market centres, blocks, tehsil and main roads, it added.

“In J&K the National Highways comprises of least percent of total length of road network, but carries over bigger share of total traffic across the length and breadth of the Union Territory”, it added.