Stating that development of Pir Panjal region is one of the top most priorities of the Government, Minister for Public Works, Floriculture and Gardens & Parks, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari Thursday said that the Government will leave no stone unturned to attend to all the developmental needs of Poonch and Rajouri districts.Mr. Bukhari was speaking after inaugurating Chajjla Bridge and laying foundation stones of steel truss motorable bridge at Mankote and Sakhi Maidan-Kalai road in Mendhar Sub-Division.The Minister said R&B department has adopted fresh specifications for maintenance of roads where Tar Macadam depth has been fixed depending on condition of a road. He said to ensure accountability and productive use of the state resources, Government has also adopted new norms in R&B department according to which contractors would be responsible for maintenance of roads for three years.The Minister asked the locals to be more vigilant in checking the quality of work going on in their respective areas and contact R&B officers if any discrepancy in quality of work is found anywhere in the district. Mr. Bukhari said people would feel perceptible difference in new roads as the specification adopted would ensure better quality of roads.
Highlighting the importance of developing Pir Panjal region, he said without development of Poonch and Rajouri, overall development of the State cannot be achieved. Mr. Bukhari added that Pir Panjal shall witness holistic development on modern lines in coming years.Constructed at a cost of Rs. 702.10 lakh, the 105M span steel girder motorable bridge at Chajjla connects village Chajjla, Thamlote, Tain, Changari, Potri, Nar, Mankote and Choi benefiting nearly 20,000 souls while 140M span steel truss motorable bridge at Mankote at take-off point of Choi Mankote and Tain Thamlote road will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1060.90 lakh. The bridge will benefit more than 20,000 souls.Upgradation of Sakhi Maidan-Kalai road under NABARD from KM 11 to 19 will cost Rs. 730 lakh and will connect village Chungan, Kalaban, Pathanteer, Upper Pathanteer, Upper Sheindara and Upper Kalai and will benefit 25000 souls.Mr. Bukhari directed the PWD authorities for expediting the work on the road which will connect three tehsils of the district. He asked the Executive Engineer R&B to start work from both ends.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bukhari directed the Chief Engineer R&B for repair of Chattral and Dharati-LKG roads and submission of DPR for Solani to Kasbalari road. The Minister also directed for immediate repair of approach road to High School Saloni.Member Legislative Assembly Mendhar, Javed Ahmed Rana, Member Legislative Assembly Haveli, Shah Mohammad Tantray, Ex-legislator Ch. Rahim Dad, PDP leaders, Mahroof Khan and Sardar Nadeem Rafiq Khan, District Development Commissioner, Mohammad Harun Malik, Senior Superintendent of Police, J S Johar, Chief Engineer R&B, Alok Mengi, Chief Engineer PMGSY, Hamid Sheikh, Chief Engineer Mughal Road, Ravinder Kumar Gupta, XEn R&B Poonch, Mushtaq Raina, XEN PMGSY Mendhar, Abdul Ghani Jagal AEE R&B Mendhar, Imtiaz Mir besides several others accompanied the Minister during the day.