Jammu, As many as six districts of Jammu and Kashmir will have expansion of roads and get a new bridge under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY).
The Union Rural Development Ministry has approved the project of expansion of 12 roads and one bridge in Jammu and Kashmir under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana estimated to cost Rs 152.38 crore.
“The road upgradation projects will benefit hundreds of people in six districts of J&K,” official sources said.
They said that post August 5, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir is marching towards development and as a part of this progress, expansion of 12 roads and construction of new bridges has been approved for Jammu and Kashmir under Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
“The expansion of this infrastructure will improve road connectivity across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir under which 134 kilometers long 12 roads will be constructed,” sources said.
Since the year 2019, sources added that 9000-km long roads are being built to connect every village with the tehsil and district headquarters, adding, “in the year 2020-21 and 2021-22, Jammu and Kashmir has been ranked third in the country under PMGSY scheme.”
Sources further revealed that with an approval to 12 roads and a bridge, so far, 1750-km long 233 road projects and 66 bridges have been approved under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana phase-3 at the cost of Rs 2245.46 crore.
“The remaining proposals for the year 2023-24 were submitted, which were approved on February 16 this year,” they said.
Notably, the PMGSY scheme was launched in Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2001-02 to link the villages with better road connectivity.
According to the 2001 census, the areas in Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of over 250 populations were included in the scheme, they said.
Sources further revealed that under the first and second programs of the scheme, 2140 rural settlements were brought under the ambit of the scheme under which the Ministry of Rural Development had sanctioned 3435 works which included 239 bridges, 2741 new connectivity works and expansion of 684 roads.
Despite the difficult conditions, sources added that the target of 98.5 percent was achieved in the first and second phase of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in Jammu and Kashmir and added, “so far 2118 areas have been connected and the target is to connect the remaining 23 such places is by March 2024.”
Under the third phase of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, sources said that 521.09 km long roads have been expanded on which Rs 11723.57 crore has been spent.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Giriraj Singh for approval of road infrastructure projects.
He expressed gratitude for approval of 12 road upgradation projects and construction of a bridge under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III Batch-III at a cost of Rs 152 Crore.
