SRINAGAR: The proposed four-laning of Boulevard Road between Nehru Park and Kralsangri is yet to move ahead as the project awaits statutory wildlife clearance besides completion of land acquisition and transfer formalities, the government informed the Legislative Assembly.
The issue came up in the House through an unstarred question raised by MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar, who sought the present status of the proposed upgradation and four-laning of the road and reasons for the delay, particularly the pending clearance.
In its written reply, the Public Works (R&B) Department said the four-laning of Boulevard Road from Nehru Park to Kralsangri, from RD 2000 to RD 7000, covering the balance portion, has been sanctioned under the Central Road Fund Programme of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and allotted to the executing agency.
The department said the proposed alignment falls within the notified City Forest/National Park limits, making the requisite wildlife clearance mandatory before work can be taken up on the remaining stretch.
The government also cited land-related issues as another factor requiring completion before execution of the project. According to the reply, reconnaissance of the proposed alignment revealed that several private and government properties fall within the proposed Right of Way.
It said the process of acquiring private land and transferring government land is being undertaken in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure.
On the wildlife clearance, the department said the proposal has already been submitted through the PARIVESH portal and is presently under consideration by the concerned Wildlife Department.
The government said parallel efforts are also being made to resolve the land-related issues. The matter has been taken up with the District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, for demarcation and handing over of state land falling within the project alignment.
The Collector Land Acquisition (North), Srinagar, has also been approached for completing the acquisition process for the land required for the project.
As per the government, initial demarcation of the required land has already been carried out, while the exercise is continuing at some locations.
The tentative cost involved in land acquisition has also been communicated to the department, with the matter regarding availability and release of funds currently under process.
The department said it is pursuing the matter with the concerned authorities to complete the necessary statutory clearances and land formalities, maintaining that the processes are being taken forward simultaneously to facilitate execution of the remaining portion of the Boulevard four-laning project.
