Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 19: Minister for R&B, Sayeed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has exhorted upon the National Highway Authority of India to expedite work on the prestigious 9 km Chenani-Nashri tunnel, which is India’s longest road tunnel project, so that it could be opened for traffic by next year.
Minister of State for R&B, Sunil Kumar Sharma, was also present in the meeting.
Reviewing the ongoing projects of NHAI at an officers meeting here on Thursday, the Minister called upon them to further gear up their men and machinery for speedy completion of ambitious road projects under four lane widening of National Highway. He asked the executing agencies to work in double shifts for timely completion of ongoing projects.
The Minister said that the tunnel, which is an alternative to the existing road, would reduce the travelling distance from 41 km to 10 km.
“Coalition Government’s prime focus is to make impact of development works visible on ground in a total transport and cohesive manner”, the Minister maintained.
Referring to land acquisition issues for certain roads, the Minister said that all the concerned Deputy Commissioners would be asked to intervene in the matter for an early redressal. ” Such impediments need to be sorted out at war footing as these hamper the real purpose of development projects by causing unwanted delays”, he asserted.
The Minister emphasized the concerned authorities to make sure that the historic Mughal road is maintained at all levels. He also asked them to work expeditiously on Kishtwar- Paddar road so that it could be completed before August this year in view of various religious processions being observed in the area.
Expressing concern over slow pace of work on Srinagar-Qazigund road, the Minister asked the officers to speed up the work for its timely completion. He also took stock of progress on Sopore bridge, Parimpora-Shaltaing-Narbal road, Udhampur-Ramban, Ramban-Banihal road and asked for accelerating the speed on these works.
Commissioner/Secretary R&B, Tanveer Janhan,Chief Engineer R&B besides senior officers of NHAI, BRO and R&B Department attended the meeting.
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