SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday directed all executing agencies involved in national highway projects across Jammu and Kashmir to submit fortnightly progress reports, covering both physical and financial aspects of the ongoing works.
In a high-level meeting attended by senior officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and various administrative departments, the Chief Secretary reviewed the status of major road and tunnel projects under execution across the Union Territory.
The Chief Secretary instructed the agencies to submit weekly updates to the Public Works Department and fortnightly updates to his office to enable regular monitoring. He emphasised that the progress of these projects is being tracked at the highest level and called for strict accountability.
Dulloo directed that reports must highlight causes of delay, identifying any official or agency responsible. He warned that delays due to negligence would be taken seriously, and appropriate action would be initiated against non-performers.
He also asked executing agencies to adopt double-shift work schedules wherever necessary and assured full cooperation from divisional and district administrations. The Department of Mining was asked to ensure that short-term mining permits are used exclusively for highway works. Vehicles carrying such material must be marked with RFID tags for effective monitoring and to prevent misuse.
Project-wise reviews were conducted during the meeting, where the Chief Secretary sought timelines for completion and updates on current physical progress.
Finance Principal Secretary Shailendra Kumar urged Deputy Commissioners to support the identification of mining blocks for consistent material supply. He also asked agencies to increase manpower and equipment on project sites to meet set deadlines.
Key projects reviewed under NHAI included various phases of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, tunnels on the Jammu Ring Road, the Ramban-Banihal stretch of NH-44, Marog-Digdol and Digdol-Khuni Nallah tunnels, the Makarkot-Sher Bibi viaduct, and segments of the Srinagar Ring Road.
NHIDCL projects under review included the Zojila Tunnel, Jammu-Akhnoor Road, Chenani-Sudhmahadev Road, Goha-Khellani, Khellani-Khanabal Highway, and Singhpora-Vailoo Tunnel.
BRO’s Project Beacon and Project Sampark works discussed included the Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri Highway, Rafiabad-Kupwara-Tangdhar Highway, Surankot-Narbal, Khanabal-Baltal, Akhnoor-Poonch, Shopian-Surankot, Rajouri-Thanamandi-Surankot, and Budhal-Mahore-Gul roads.
R&B projects assessed included the construction of the Sanat Nagar flyover, the NH-444 corridor (Srinagar-Budgam-Pulwama-Shopian-Kulgam-Qazigund), and bypasses for Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian towns, along with other road safety and strengthening works underway in different areas of the UT.
