Says 46-km Galandar-Narbal stretch inspected, NHAI asked to expedite works
Srinagar, Sep 26 : Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg on Saturday said efforts are being intensified to make Phase-I of the Srinagar Ring Road (SRR) motorable by the end of December, with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) having fixed December-end as its internal completion target.
Garg inspected the 46-km Phase-I stretch from Galandar to Narbal to review progress and address bottlenecks affecting the project.
Speaking to reporters, he said the visit was aimed at assessing issues at various locations and facilitating contractors to ensure timely completion of the project.
“NHAI has fixed the end of December as the timeline for completion, and efforts are underway to accelerate progress so that the target is achieved,” he said.
During the inspection, officials informed the Divisional Commissioner that major works completed so far include 143 culverts, 23 minor bridges, three major bridges, 18 light vehicular underpasses, two flyover-cum-interchanges, six overpasses, 12 syphons and 107 HPCs.
Garg reviewed ongoing works, including transmission tower shifting, construction of underpasses and connectivity to adjoining roads. He directed KPTCL to undertake parallel works for the erection of new transmission towers to minimise power shutdowns and called for augmentation of manpower to meet deadlines.
He also asked NHAI to expedite bridge load testing in coordination with NIT to avoid delays.
The Divisional Commissioner said transmission towers had emerged as a major hurdle in project execution, but issues related to land compensation and utility shifting had largely been resolved by the district administration.
Referring to public concerns, he said local residents and elected representatives had repeatedly sought early completion of the project.
Garg said the Ring Road would significantly ease traffic congestion in Srinagar and improve connectivity between North and South Kashmir. The corridor will directly link Pulwama with Narbal and facilitate movement towards Gulmarg, Baramulla, Bandipora and Sonamarg.
He said Phase-I would eventually connect with subsequent phases extending towards Ganderbal and Pandach, completing the ring-road network around the region.
The Divisional Commissioner also said proposals for improved connectivity to Budgam town, NIFT and Srinagar Airport were being explored in consultation with stakeholders, including the Airport Authority, Air Force and BSF.
He stressed the need for coordinated efforts among all departments to resolve pending issues and ensure the Phase-I stretch is made motorable within the targeted timeline—(KNO)
