Minister for Public Works Naeem Akhtar today informed the Legislative Council that the government has taken up the matter for declaration of Mughal road as National Highway and construction of a tunnel from Chattapani to Zaznar with the Centre to facilitate all-weather road connectivity between Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu and Shopian in Kashmir.Replying to a question of Dr Shehnaz Ganai, the Minister said the tender for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) for construction of Tunnel on Mughal Road has been floated by National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) HQ at New Delhi.The Minister further informed that the formulation of DPR for Chenani- Sudhmahadev- Goha- Khellani- Sinthan- Khannabal road including tunnel at Goha is also in progress, while the issue of preparation of DPR for Dessa to Kapran road has been taken up with the Centre, he added.
He informed that the road from Jammu-Akhnoor-Rajouri Poonch has been declared as new National Highway 144-A and the DPR for four-laning of Jammu-Akhnoor stretch has been completed and the land acquisition for the same is in progress, he added.Meanwhile he said the work for preparation of DPR for four-laning of Akhnoor-Nowshera-Poonch road is in progress.Regarding Loran-Tangmarg road, the Minister said the formation cutting work on 8 km difficult stretch has been completed from Loran side while as the DPR for road from Tangmarg to Jamiawali Gali is under preparation with project Beacon. The work would be expedited and the matter for increasing the funding for the road would be taken up with the Centre, the Minister assured the house.The Minister further informed that double-lane Bridge over Mandi River has been sanctioned under CRF at the cost of Rs. 11.25 crore and the earth work for right side abutment is in progress, he added. He said the work on bye pass road in Mandi Bazar and Bedar Balnoi Rajpura Bridge is also in progress.