SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government is set to construct 646 new rural roads covering 3,381 kilometres at an estimated cost of Rs 7,790 crore under the first two batches of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-IV, with the projects expected to provide all-weather road connectivity to 792 habitations across the Union Territory.
The details emerged during a high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, who assessed the progress of PMGSY Phases I, II and III and reviewed the implementation strategy for PMGSY-IV, described as the largest rural road connectivity programme undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the official review, Batch-I (2025-26) comprises 316 roads with a total length of 1,781 kilometres at a sanctioned cost of Rs 4,224 crore. Of these, 235 works have already commenced, with expenditure of nearly Rs 270 crore incurred so far. Under Batch-I (2026-27), all 330 sanctioned roads have received technical approval and have been tendered, with the tendering process at an advanced stage.
The Chief Secretary said the programme would significantly improve all-weather access to remote habitations while enhancing connectivity to education, healthcare, markets, tourism and employment opportunities. He also directed the Public Works (R and B) Department to ensure timely execution of projects and remove bottlenecks related to forest clearances, land acquisition, utility shifting and other statutory approvals through coordinated efforts with the Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and the Forest Department.
Dulloo further instructed Deputy Commissioners to closely monitor PMGSY works in their respective districts and ensure that all pending projects under the earlier phases are completed before their stipulated deadlines, while maintaining the pace of implementation under PMGSY-IV.
During the meeting, officials informed the Chief Secretary that 3,332 of the 3,437 roads sanctioned under PMGSY-I, II and III have been completed, achieving 96.9 per cent progress. Of the sanctioned 20,801.43 kilometres of road length, 19,865.36 kilometres have been completed, while 260 Long Span Bridges have been constructed out of 305 sanctioned. The cumulative expenditure under the first three phases has exceeded Rs 13,526 crore.
Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works (R and B), Anil Kumar Singh, said the department is accelerating forest and statutory clearances, expediting the tendering of newly sanctioned works and pursuing fresh approvals from the Ministry of Rural Development to provide all-weather road connectivity to all remaining eligible habitations across Jammu and Kashmir.
