Centre sanctions Rs 152 cr upgrade for J&K roads

Srinagar, February 17

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned a package for upgrade of 12 roads having length of 134 km and one bridge project at an estimated cost of Rs 152.38 crore, a government spokesman said here.

With this, a total of 233 road projects having length of 1,750 km and 66 bridges falling in the alignment of these roads, have been sanctioned for upgrade at an estimated cost of Rs 2,245.46 crore under PMGSY-III Programme for J&K, he added.

Lieutenant Governor thanks PM, says 6 districts will benefit

• Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh for approval of road infrastructure projects in the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir
• “The road upgrade projects will benefit hundreds of habitations in six districts of J&K UT. The two-lane bridge for border district of Poonch will ensure greater ease of travel and it will connect villagesto prosperity and contribute in overall socio-economic development,” he said

“The proposals for balance length submitted by the UT of J&K under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III (PMGSY-III), Batch-III of 2023-24 was sanctioned on February 16,” the spokesman said.

“The PMGSY programme was launched in J&K in 2001-02 to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations with 250+ population in J&K as per 2001 census.”

“Under this Programme, 2,140 rural habitations were found eligible to be connected under this scheme for which the Ministry of Rural Development sanctioned 3,425 works, including 239 bridges (2,741 new connectivity works and 684 upgrade works) under PMGSY-I & II for construction of 19,049-km road length at an estimated cost of Rs.12565 Cr,” the spokesman said.

“Despite adverse working conditions, J&K has achieved 98.50% of the sanctioned programme under PMGSY-I&II. As many as 2118 habitations have been connected to date, remaining 23 habitations are targeted to be connected by March, 2024. At least 1,7985.10 km road length has been constructed under the scheme against the sanctioned programme.

“Under PMGSY-III 521.09 Km road length has been upgraded so far with an expenditure of Rs.11723.57 crores has been incurred so far,” the spokesman added.

“J&K has made progress in achieving goals under PMGSY since 2019 by constructing 9,000 km of the road length. Notably, J&K UT consecutively ranked third at the national level during 2020-21 and 2021-22 in terms of road length constructed in a year,” the spokesman added.

233 road projects approved under PMGSY-III

A total of 233 road projects having length of 1,750 km and 66 bridges falling in the alignment of these roads have been sanctioned for upgrade at an estimated cost of Rs 2,245.46 crore under the Pradhan Mantari Gram Sadak Yojana-III