Developmental activities in the Old Srinagar City received a major impetus with the start of work on the upgradation of the Eastern Foreshore road by J&K ERA (Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency).Work on the vital road sub-project in Old City was today started with Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, J&KERA/JTFRP asking the female Assistant Executive Engineer, who is in charge of the sub-project to undertake ribbon cutting ceremony of the sub-project.The ecologically sensitive Eastern Foreshore road is a vital road link connecting the uptown Srinagar with the Old City and is one of the most waterlogging prone roads in the old city owing to its close proximity to the Brari-Nambal,Lagoon. The upgradation of the road with the use of “Rigid Concrete Pavement Technology “would make it resilient to waterlogging and protect it from the vagaries of the nature especially the chilling cold weather which causes the extensive damage to the conventional flexible pavement roads thus leading to the high maintenance costs for upkeep of roads.Abdul Wahid, Project Manager, J&K ERA, Kashmir informed the CEO,ERA/JTFRP that the sub-project involves the upgradation of 3.60 kms of the road (2.89 km of main road along with the 0.710 kms of link road) around the theBrari-Namballagoon in heart of the city with the use of the “Rigid Concrete Pavement technology”). He said that the vital road sub-project under JTFRP also involves the construction of 5420 meters of the requisite road drainage.
Wahid added that the road portion is being upgraded at an approximate cost of Rs17.27crores and will be strengthened with the layingof three layers comprising of GSB (Granular Sub Base), DLC (Dry Lean Concrete) and the final layer of PQC (Pavement Quality Concrete) The project has a timeline of 18 months.Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed directed the engineers to expeditiously follow and try to resolve the impediments that may hamper the smooth execution of work on the sub-project. He also asked the contractor to work on the sub-project in a planned and scientific manner and make all efforts to complete the work ahead of the stipulated timeline. CEO ERA also had an interaction with the locals present on the occasion who expressed their gratitude to J&KERA for making use of the latest technology to upgrade the road which remains inundated during the rainy seasons, causing extensive damage to road. J&K ERA is the first organisation in the valley to make use of “Rigid Concrete Pavement Technology” in the upgradation of various road sub-projects in the most waterlogging prone vital roads of the Srinagar city to make them flood resilient. The Rigid Concrete Pavement technologies being undertaken under the World Bank funded JhelumTawi Flood Recovery Project and it has the advantages of high resistance to water logging, low maintenance cost and longevity.Besides benefiting the thousands of commuters travelling through this vital road daily, the road sub-project will benefit thousands of people living in the old city areas of Shamaswari, FatehKadal, HabbaKadal, Bishember Nagar, Munawarbad, Khayam, Baba Demb, Khanyaretc. This is the 3rd vital road water logging prone road in the city which is being upgraded under the World Bank funded JTFRP (Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project) using the “ Rigid Concrete Pavement Technology” to make the flood vulnerable roads in the city flood resilient. Work on the other (2) rigid concrete pavement roads namely Humhama-Peerbaghand Civil-Secretariat-Rambaghroad is already underway in full swing.BasharatJeelani, Kawoosa, Director, Technical, JTFRP and other officers of J&KERA and JTFRP were also present on the occasion.