The Centre has approved Rs 9,000 crore for four lane Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which would help in smooth traffic movement, besides easing frequent jams on the highway, Minister for Roads and Buildings (R&B) G M Saroori said today.
The preliminary work of the project, which includes acquisition of land and forest clearance has almost completed, Saroori said while presiding over a high-level meeting here to review the pace of road projects and constructions of tunnels in the state by Beacon authorities.
While reviewing the status of four lane of Jammu-Srinagar national highway, it was informed that the stretch has been divided into six phases- Qazigund-Banihal, Banihal-Ramban, Ramban-Nashri, Nashri-Chinani, Chinani-Udhampur and Udhampur-Jammu.
In all cases, 80 per cent of the land has been acquired so far, the meeting was told.
The meeting was informed that a 9-km Qazigund-Banihal long tunnel would be constructed at a cost of Rs 2,400 crore. Besides another 8.75-kms long tunnel would also be constructed at Nashri-Chennai at a cost of Rs 2,100 crore which would reduce 60-km of travel distance on completion.
The widening of Lakhanpur-Jammu bypass road would be completed by July 2010, the Minister was informed.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has already provided Rs 275 crore to several Deputy Commissioners of Jammu, Udhampur and Anantnag for acquiring the land for the project.
Of this, Rs 137 crore have been paid as land compensation to the land owners and other cases are under process of acquisition and payment, the meeting was informed.
