JAMMU, JANUARY 27 – Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo presided over a high-level meeting with engineers from the Public Works Department to review the progress of major ongoing road projects across Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting aimed to assess the completion status of vital road connectivity initiatives and ensure that the projects are progressing efficiently.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary stressed the importance of enhancing the capacity of engineers to meet deadlines and deliver quality infrastructure. He urged senior functionaries to take direct responsibility for monitoring the projects to ensure their timely completion, emphasising that these road projects are crucial for the development of the region. He also underscored the need for strict adherence to quality standards and thorough supervision by senior officers from the concerned agencies.
The Chief Secretary highlighted the urgency of completing the survey and formulating Detailed Project Reports under PMGSY IV to connect unlinked habitations. He instructed the Secretary of PWD to closely monitor the survey process and ensure the timely completion of the Comprehensive New Connectivity Priority List for each village. This will help prioritise projects for early execution.
In his presentation, PWD Secretary Bhupinder Kumar outlined the achievements under PMGSY I, II, and III. He shared that, under Phase I, 17,578 km of roads were constructed, including 210 long-span bridges. Phase II saw the completion of 7 long-span bridges, while Phase III contributed an additional 1,248 km of roads, including one more long-span bridge.
The meeting also delved into the remaining works under earlier phases of PMGSY and discussed the rolling out of Phase IV. The status of the ongoing surveys using the ‘Gram Sadak Survey app’ for unconnected habitations and the preparation of CNCPL for each village was reviewed. It was noted that Jammu and Kashmir, being a special category region, will receive 90% funding assistance from the central government under PMGSY IV. Additionally, the population criteria for habitations in J&K have been relaxed, with villages requiring a population of just 250 (compared to 500 in other states).
The meeting revealed that out of 1,386 unconnected villages in J&K, surveys for 1,249 villages have been finalized, with 102 villages under further scrutiny for inclusion in PMGSY IV.
Regarding the Central Road Infrastructure Fund , it was noted that of the 121 ongoing projects sanctioned at a cost of Rs 2,366 crore, Rs 1,180 crore has been spent so far, with 21 projects completed against a target of 41 for 2024-25. Under NABARD RIDF, 1,098 projects were sanctioned at a cost of Rs 4,761 crore, with an expenditure of Rs 1,246 crore and 195 projects completed.
For the financial year 2024-25, a total of 2,115 works have been completed against a target of 3,469, spanning road sectors, NABARD, Cities & Towns, CRIF, PMGSY, and other development programs. Notably, 3,013 km of roads have been macadamised, and 25 bridges have been completed against a target of 60.
The Chief Secretary also reviewed the status of key road projects under various schemes, urging officials to ensure that all projects meet their completion deadlines without any delays. Other issues discussed included the merger of JKPCC staff with PWD and the utilisation of remaining funds to complete unfinished projects.