Srinagar, Nov 22: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo, on Saturday said that the much-awaited Sanatnagar Flyover is in its final stage, with one tube having completed load testing and the second expected to finish by tomorrow evening.
He said the project will play a vital role in easing movement between Rawalpora, Rambagh and the Airport Road corridor, marking a major step toward decongesting Srinagar’s busiest intersections.
“This project connects two major stretches of the city and will significantly help reduce traffic congestion. It is an important milestone for Srinagar and seeing it reach technical completion gives satisfaction to all departments involved,” the DC said.
The Deputy Commissioner said that once made operational, the flyover will directly complement recent infrastructure upgrades like the Noor Jahan Bridge at Noorbagh, which was recently opened to traffic. “You have seen the Noor Jahan Bridge completed and now Sanatnagar is almost done. Together, these projects form part of a broader network aimed at providing smoother intra-city connectivity,” he said.
He added that the flyover is expected to decongest major routes by diverting peak-hour traffic away from surface roads, allowing better flow.
The DC also said Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), for other major works have also been submitted by the R&B Department in a short span. “Alongside infrastructure, enforcement and regulatory measures are being tightened. Every week, district administration, traffic police, SMC and Smart City officials jointly review congestion points to identify new interventions,” he said.
He also said the issue related to street lighting at Sanatnagar and Bemina have also been flagged and SMC officials have been directed to inspect and resolve them immediately.
Touching upon traffic regulation and e-rickshaw operations, the DC said that Srinagar’s decongestion drive is designed to be balanced, as addressing both public convenience and livelihood concerns.
“To decongest a city like Srinagar, we need to enforce certain measures in a balanced manner. While short-term restrictions may seem inconvenient, our approach ensures that every stakeholder is on board,” he said.
He said that the administration is identifying ‘hungry routes’ underutilized stretches that can be opened for e-rickshaw movement to provide last-mile connectivity and employment opportunities simultaneously. “The idea is to make sure regulation doesn’t affect livelihoods. We are working to ensure that both mobility and employment are strengthened under this new plan,” the DC added.
The Deputy Commissioner also said that once the second tube of the Sanatnagar Flyover completes load testing, the R&B Department will hand over the project to the administration for technical clearance. The government will then take a final decision regarding its inauguration. “As soon as the testing concludes, this long-awaited project will be ready for public use. It’s another step toward making Srinagar a smoother, safer and better-connected city,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DC assessed the pace and status of the ongoing work on the Rs 30 crore project aimed at decongesting traffic on the City’s busy bypass corridor.
SSP Traffic Police, Aijaz Ahmad; Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mir Imtiyaz Ul Aziz; Joint Commissioner SMC, Nuzhat Khurshid; Superintending Engineer R&B, Tetheer Manzoor; Executive Engineer R&B, Nasir Amin; Tehsildar Chanapora and other Officers and official accompanied the DC during the visit.
On the occasion, the DC reviewed the remaining works and inspected the concluding components of the project, which has entered its final stage of completion—(KNO)
