Nitin Gadkari lays stone of 25 highway projects in J&K

Jammu, November 24

The road map of the Central Government for Jammu and Kashmir will provide freedom to the people of the Union territory from poverty and unemployment, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said, assuring of the European-standard infrastructure in the next three years.

On a par with European standards

J&K is the only part in the country where tunnels worth over Rs50,000 crore are being constructed. In addition to projects worth over Rs11,500 crore, we are launching road projects worth Rs1 lakh crore in the next two years. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister

The minister was speaking after laying the foundation stone of 25 national highway projects of a total length of 257 km with an investment of Rs 11,721 crore in Doda district.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also attended the function.

These projects, which are strategically important for the swift movement of defence forces along with agricultural, industrial and socioeconomic progress of the region, will provide all-weather connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir.

The projects will connect all major roads leading to various district headquarters and will help in the generation of employment and self-employment opportunities. The projects will involve rehabilitation and up-gradation of some sections, construction of viaduct and tunnel and rectification of black spots, officials said.

In addition to these projects, Gadkari assured projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore for J&K during the next two years. He also conceded to the demands of various important road projects, including a tunnel for Sadna pass on Kupwara-Tangdhar road and Peer Ki Gali along historic Mughal road, to ensure round-the-year movement of traffic.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has taken a pledge for the overall development of J&K and we are working according to it. The road map made for J&K is aimed at giving freedom to the people from poverty and providing jobs to the youth,” he said.

“Four things – water, power, transport and communication – are imperative for the success of tourism and industrialisation, which will help in elevating poverty, creating jobs and boosting economy,” Gadkari said adding that the Centre is making all-out efforts to make J&K developed and prosperous.

Referring to the development of roads in J&K, he said that when the BJP came to power in 2014, the total length of roads in Jammu and Kashmir was 1,695 km, which was expanded to 2,664 km by 2021 and “we are expanding it further with liberal funding”.

Gadkari also said Jammu and Kashmir is faced with a peculiar situation and the targets cannot be achieved without the construction of the road tunnels. — PTI

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