'J&K completes highest 11400 km road length under PMGS'

Jammu and Kashmir has achieved the highest road length in the country this year so far under a Centre's rural roads' programme with the completion of around 11,400 kilometers covering 1,838 habitations, officials said on Friday.

This includes 1,161 km for the current financial year against the total sanctioned road length of 19,700 km, they said.

The work is being carried under the centrally-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), which is a mega flagship programme with the main objective of providing connectivity to rural areas.

The programme is being implemented by the Public Works (Roads and Buildings) Department of the Union Territory.

Under the Central Road Fund, 88 schemes have been completed, including 22 bridges and 66 roads, with a target set for completion of 25 such schemes for the current year, an official spokesman said.

Regarding NABARD funding, a total of 518 works were approved, of which 147 have been completed while 34 works have been targeted for completion during the current year, he said.

Besides, the government launched an ambitious scheme called 'Languishing Programme' in 2018 to complete those projects that were stopped midway due to paucity of funds, the spokesman said.

The government arranged special funds for the completion of such projects, he added.

The spokesman said as many as 593 projects with a total sanctioned cost of Rs 1,313 crore were provided under the road and bridge sector as on date.

Out of the sanctioned projects, 83 projects have been completed and thrown open for public, which includes 54 bridges and 27 roads, he said.

Likewise, 100 more projects are likely to be completed by the end of this financial year, the spokesman said.

Regarding the Special Bridge Programme funded under the capital expenditure component of the budget, the spokesman said, a total number of 115 bridges have been taken up for execution.

Out of this, 59 bridges are being targeted for completion during the current year and to date 46 bridges have been completed, he added.