Minister for Public Works (R&B), Floriculture, Gardens and Parks, Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari today said heavy rains during September 2014 and March- April 2015, damaged roads in the State, adding that temporary restoration works have been executed and all roads made trafficable.This was stated by the Minister while replying to a calling attention notice by MLA Nowshera, Ravinder Raina.Giving a comprehensive status report on various development works, the Minister said that upgradation of 10.50 km Siot - Bhajwal road road has been taken up under State Sector and Rs. 48.50 lakh have been incurred on the said road ending March 2015. He said during current financial year Rs. 2 lakh has been approved for the said road.The Minister informed that 9 km Dabbar (Kulwant Chowk)–Dharat road has been taken up under District Sector and Rs. 58.60 lakh already stand utilized ending March 2015. 5 km length of the road has been proposed during current financial year under macadamization programme for which tenders stand floated.
The Minister further added that upgradation of 18.00 km Laiter–Devak - Hathal road has been taken up under state sector projectization and an amount of Rs. 96.64 lakh has been incurred ending March 2015. During current financial year, against approved outlay of Rs. 8 lakh, an amount of Rs. 6 lakh has been released so far.The Minister said Chani-Mela road having a length of 8.00 km is of damaged B.T. status, adding that presently the road is approved under District Sector at a cost of Rs. 91.55 lakh, against which expenditure ending March 2015 is Rs. 36.77 lakh. He said however, adequate funds are not available for improving riding surface of the said road.
With regard to 27 km Thandapani Saleri–Saroti road, the Minister said that the said road is of damaged B.T. status and the scheme was taken up under State Sector but due to inadequate funding, the road has now been approved under Tourist Destination Programme at a cost of Rs. 219 lakh, against which, Rs. 33.86 lakh have been released so far.Mr. Bukhari said that Thandapani-Mawa Patra road having a length of 5 km is an old and of damaged B.T. status. He said that improvement of the road is not approved under any scheme at present however, it is being maintained out of maintenance grant as per availability of funds.
The Minister said that Siot-Peerkhana road that has a length of 3 km has been taken up under District Sector at a cost of Rs. 124.40 lakh against which an amount of Rs. 37 lakh has been utilized so far.The Minister informed that 7 km Devek-Bhambliya road via Deoli has been taken up under State Sector where under an amount of Rs. 46 lakh have been incurred ending March 2015. He added during current financial year, Rs. 2 lakh has been approved for the scheme.
With regard to 5 km Darshan Nagar-Nonial road, the Minister said that it has been taken up under NABARD and laying of 50 mm BM and 25 mm SDBC has been proposed under macadamization programme for which tenders stand floated.The Minister said Rajal Canal-Hanjana road involving a length of 4.40 km and has been taken up under PMGSY, adding that an amount of Rs. 90.93 lakh has been incurred on the project until now against sanctioned cost of Rs. 96.62 lakh.Bukhari informed that Rajal Petrol Pump to Rajal top road has been taken up under State Sector under which an amount of Rs. 20 Lakh has been incurred till March end. During current financial year, against approved outlay of Rs. 4 lakh, an amount of Rs. 3 lakh has been released so far.