The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has said that work on upgradation of Jammu-Poonch highway as a 4-lane expressway would be taken up soon.This information was given by Director General, BRO Lt Gen S K Shrivastava to the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Information, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali at a meeting here today.The meeting was convened to review the status of various key road projects of twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.The Minister took up the matter of starting work on four-lanning of Jammu – Poonch highway and also suggested construction of tunnel at Kalidar which will shorten the distance and also minimize the inconvenience caused to the commuters of Rajouri and Poonch. The Minister also discussed upgradation status of other roads including Rajouri-Thanamandi–Bafliaz road, double-lane of Rajouri-Kandi-Budhal road.The Minister was briefed by DG BRO that DPR for four lanning of Akhnoor-Poonch road is to be cleared within two or three days by the Union Ministry of Defence.
He was briefed that after its clearance, tenders would be floated for the work.Regarding Rajouri-Budhal road, the Minister stressed upon early completion of the Project so that the people of Budhal and Kotranka don't suffer anymore. DG BRO briefed the Minister that the Road will be kept on the priority of BRO and completion of construction work which was targeted for 2013 will now be completed by 2018. The DG also assured that Kotranka Bridge will be completed before March 2018.Highlighting the importance of Rajouri–Thanamandi–Bafliaz road, the Minister brought into the notice of DG that this Road is very important from security and strategic point of view and it also connects Srinagar with Jammu and various areas of twin border districts with rest of the state but the road is in dilapidated condition and special attention needs to be paid by BRO towards it. He said that traffic flow on Mughal Road is going to increase in near future but single land Rajouri-Thanamandi–Bafliaz will create problems in traffic system and will cause inconvenience to the public. The Minister said that immediate resurfacing and maintenance of Rajouri-Thanamandi–Bafliaz road is required to mitigate the extreme public inconvenience. He said BRO also needs to maintain the drainage system as this single lane road which has been badly damaged at various locations due to non-maintenance putting the life of commuters to risk.
He said that lakhs of pilgrims visit the holy shrine Shahdra Sharief and this unmaintained road is a serious inconvenience to visitors.The Minister said that BRO has not started the work for widening of road inspite of their commitment with the Government of J&K for the last more than 3 years. He brought into the notice of DG that all papers of land acquisition are at final stage but the payment of compensation is pending with GREF. He added that the traffic load on this road has also increased manifold due to opening of Mughal road and now BRO needs to commit a time-frame for same as this is leading to un-ending woes for the people in the area. He said that 100% of the 3212 Kanal 17 Marla land under acquisition has already been handed over to BRO and more than Rs 55.86 crore land compensation is pending which must be released.The DG, BRO assured that the DPR of Thanamandi-Bafliaz road which is 16 km stretch would be cleared soon.