Ring Roads for Jammu Srinagar

Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today gave nod to the construction of Srinagar and Jammu Ring Roads to decongest traffic and provide alternate communication for commuters taking care up to the year 2042.

Approving the prestigious and most required two road projects involving an expenditure of abut Rs. 3000 crores at a meeting of high level officers of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Jammu and Kashmir State R&B Department here, the Chief Minister directed the NHAI, executing agency for the projects, to formulate the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and put up the proposals to the R&B Department for finalization.

The proposed Ring Road project for Srinagar will start at Galander and meet the National Highway at Narbal Junction in its Phase-I. The road will be 4-lane with 6-lane future projection. Under the Phase-II of the project, a two-way road will start at Narbal and meet the National Highway in Ganderbal.

The project is likely to cost Rs. 1195 crores in Phase-I and Rs. 448 crores in the Phase-II. The road length in the Phase-I will be 34.72 kilometers and in the Phase-II, 27.2 kilometers. There will be a Toll Plaza at Narbal Junction. In the proposed 4-lane road project from Galander to Narbal there will be 155 culverts, two road-over bridges, two flyovers, five major junctions, 17 minor junctions and one Toll Plaza. The two-lane road from Narbal to Ganderbal will have 135 culverts, 5 major junctions and 9 minor junctions.

Omar said that the projects should keep room for widening from 4-lanes to 6-lanes and from 2-lanes to 4-lanes to cater to futuristic needs.

The Jammu 4-lane Ring Road involving an expenditure of Rs 1355 crores will have one Toll Plaza in each of the homogenous sections. It will start near Vijaypur (Raipur) and meet the National Highway at Akhnoor where from it will go up to Nagrota Bye-Pass. The road project will be about 60 kilometers in length. It will have 4 major bridges in Package-I and 4 similar bridges in package-II while the number of minor bridges in Package-I will be 5 and 4 in Package-II. The number of culverts in Package-I will be 215 and in Package-II 102. There will be two flyovers in each package while as two overhead bridges will be constructed in the Package-II.

Under the Package-I the road length from Raipur to Akhnoor will be 43 kilometers and in Package-II it will be 16.9 kilometers.

The Chief Minister said that creation of better communication facility in the cities, towns and rural areas has been focused in the development policy by his Government and all avenues are being explored to upgrade road communication facilities for better traffic management and commuting facilities to the people besides generating economic activities.

Omar said that up to the mark Ring Roads for the two cities of Srinagar and Jammu are need of the hour and to cater to the futuristic requirements of the two capitals growing on faster pace.

The Project Director NHAI explained the salient features of the proposed road projects and highlighted the main features of the projects.

SASB clarifies report on duration of yatra

Reacting to certain media reports, in regard to the duration of Amarnathji Yatra this year, the Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, R. K. Goyal said that there is need to appreciate that the variation in Yatra duration from year to year is on account of Raksha Bandhan falling on different dates and, as per the ongoing tradition, the Yatra concludes on this date.

In this context, he said "that two years ago we were able to have a Yatra duration of 56 days as in that year the Raksha Bandhan fell on August 24, 2010." The next year, in 2011, Raksha Bandhan was on August 13 and, consequently the Yatra duration was reduced by 10 days, to a total of 46 days. And this year, in 2012, Raksha Bandhan falls on August 2, and the Yatra duration has been further reduced to 39 days, as it is not at all possible to prepone the commencement date because the tracks to the Shrine have heavy snow which takes time to be cleared.

The CEO stated that the Shrine Board is obligated to take into account all relevant considerations while deciding the Yatra commencement date every year as the safety and security of the yatris is the foremost responsibility of the Shrine Board. In this context, the CEO added that keeping in view the sentiments of the devotees, the Board has this year specifically decided to explore the possibility of preponement of Yatra before June 25, based on a professional assessment of the pace of snow-melt, which will be undertaken in the first week of June, 2012.

The CEO further said that in 2013 Raksha Bandhan would fall on August 21 and, consequently, the Yatra would be 19 days longer than in 2012, if the commencement date is the same in both these years. The CEO said that it is not logical to attribute the variations in the duration of the Amarnath Yatra, from year to year, to the decision making processes of the Board.

On this occasion, the CEO recalled that Shrine Board had set up a Sub-Committee chaired by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, an eminent and world known person, to advise the Board regarding the duration and schedule of Shri Amarnathji Yatra. He stressed that this Sub-Committee was set up consequent to an agreement with the BABA Yatri Niyas in June, 2011. This Sub-Committee comprised eminent persons viz. Swami Avdheshanandji of Haridwar, Swami Gyaanandji of Vrindavan, Y.V. Sharma, president, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu, R.L. Bharti, formerly Member, J&K Public Service Commission, Prem Gupta, formerl IGP, Jammu, Dr. C.M. Raina, Asstt. Professor, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Jammu and R.K. Goyal, CEO was its Member-Secretary. He said that the Sub-Committee while evolving its recommendations had held extensive consultations with various interested parties, including BABA Yatri Niyas.

Traffic suspended on highway to clear stranded vehicles

Authorities today suspended fresh traffic movement on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in order to clear vehicles stranded at different places due to extreme weather conditions for the past few days.

“No fresh traffic has been allowed from Jammu and Srinagar capital cities and all the stranded vehicles would be cleared”, Police officials said in Jammu.

The route was thrown open for two-way traffic yesterday for clearance of stranded vehicles after remaining closed for past three days due to heavy snowfall, avalanche and landslides.

As many as 3,266 stranded vehicles have been cleared during the past 24 hours, officials said.

Around 1,300 vehicles, including 1100 passenger vehicles reached Jammu while 1469 vehicles including 860 passenger vehicles from Jammu crossed the Valley yesterday, SP Ramban Anil Magotra said.

Similarly, around 185 vehicles, including 163 passenger vehicles from Jammu crossed over to Jawahir tunnel towards Kashmir and 312 vehicles including 165 passenger vehicles are on way to Jammu from Kashmir today, he said.

He said there was landslide at Nashri during midnight but it was cleared by Border Road Organisation (BRO) personnel and movement of vehicles was going on smoothly.

Telecom companies earnings in j&k
Employment fair in Kashmir
Train Derailment in Kashmir Valley

Fresh snowfall in upper reaches

Fresh snowfall occurred in some parts of the valley on Sunday.Snowfall and rain occurred at Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Kupwara and at other higher reaches.  Rainfall was recorded at Srinagar and its adjoining areas. Light rainfall occurred at Srinagar-Jammu national highway as well.

Till this morning Srinagar received 1.1mm of rainfall, Pahalgam 10 cms of snowfall; Kupwara recorded 7.7 mm of rain and snow while Gulmarg received four inches of snowfall.

Precipitation dipped the temperatures by few notches across Kashmir.  Srinagar recorded minimum temperatures of 1.1 degree Celsius, Qazigund  1.0 degrees, Kokernag minus 0.3 while Gulmarg recorded lowest of minus 6.5 degree Celsius.

  Rainfall and snow is predicted for higher reaches and rainfall for plain areas.“At places like Gulmarg, there is a possibility of one foot snow,” said Sonum Lotus, director meteorological department.He said the circulation of western disturbances around the valley is causing rain and snowfall. Weather is likely to improve from 14th February.

“From February 14 it will get better till February 18,” said Sonum. Precipitation has gripped Kashmir in cold again after few warm sunny days. Jammu-Srinagar national highway also remained open for vehicular movement.

Nonetheless, the gloomy weather did not affect Sunday market today. Most shops along Lal Chowk and Residency road also remained open. The rush of customers could also be seen in the market.“Despite it being a cold day today, we did good business. We had put out our stalls early morning,” said Mohammad Hussain, a street vendor, selling shoes.

He said the people from other district also traveling to shop at the Sunday market. “I had to buy some blanket for home. So came here to shop at Sunday market,” said Parveena from Bemina.

Liquor shops on Jammu Srinagar highway makes driving unsafe

Though alcohol laws, prohibiting drinking with driving are in place in the state, increasing number of liquor shops on the national highway puts a question mark on its scale of implementation.

Along the 300 km long Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the number of liquor shops are adding with each day. Scores of liquors shops can be found dotting the highway at short distances intervals. Besides bars and liquor shops, restaurants, food points and some rickety restaurants also sell liquor. The liquor selling outlets remain busy with customers, which not only include drivers but other commuters as well.

Though the sale of liquor along the national highway is lawful and hence licensed by authorities, legal experts see it as a major hurdle in the implementation of alcohol law and safeguarding lives.

“It is imperative to check the growth of liquor shops along the national highway to ensure the safety of commuters,” said advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga.

He said a survey conducted in India has shows drivers to be most habitual to drinking. The national highway not only includes commercial traffic but private commuters as well, Ronga adds.

“On one hand, we have a law restricting drinking with driving and on flip side, license is easily been granted to liquor shops on national highway which is the most dangerous road,”Nazir says.

He said though setting up of liquor shops on highway is not restricted under law “but there is a need to check it. Proper guidelines should be followed before granting license.”

As liquor shops flourish on highway, hoarding warning commuters against the deadly consequences of mixing drinking with driving can be found every where.

Advocate M.Ashraf Wani stated that the law has to be amended to restrict the setting up of liquors shop on national highway

“The liquor shops on highway contradict the law for against drinking while driving. This has to be taking into consideration seriously,” said Ashraf.

He says liquor shops on highway provide temptation to the commuters who are already in habit of drinking.

“We are trying to stop a crime while providing way it too,” Wani said.

He stated that the law should be modified to completely stop the establishment of liquor shops on highway.

Besides, commuters also complain against the mounting number of liquor shops.

“Over the years, the number of liquor shop has increased two fold. People can be seen enjoying liquor at bar or restaurants,” said Muneer Ahmad, a trader.

He said he has often noted drivers purchasing or drinking liquor at these shops.“It is very unsafe for drivers to mix drinking with driving. Authorities should ban selling liquor on highway,” adds Tariq Ahmad, shawl vendor.

Jammu Srinagar highway open for one way traffic

The 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was thrown open for one-way traffic from winter to summer capital today. However, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh National Highway remained closed while hundreds of villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC) also remained cut off from their respective district and tehsil headquarters.

A traffic police official said here today that all the vehicles, particularly trucks, loaded with essentials, stranded between Banihal, Batote, Udhampur and Jammu, were allowed to move towards the Valley this morning.

He said only State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses, carrying passengers were also allowed from Jammu to Srinagar.

No light passenger or private vehicle was allowed as a precautionary measure.

Similarly no vehicle from Srinagar to Jammu was allowed today.

Official sources said most of the stranded vehicles, particularly trucks loaded with fruit and empty oil tankers at Qazigund and other places in south Kashmir were cleared yesterday.

Similarly, SRTC buses were allowed to ply on the highway from here to Jammu yesterday for stranded passengers.

However, hundreds of passengers, including non-state subjects, remained stranded here because of non availability of sufficient SRTC buses.

The Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained open for the one way traffic from Srinagar to Jammu today. However, only heavy vehicles were allowed to ply on the road.

Officials said that the traffic was allowed to move on the road only from Srinagar to Jammu and no vehicle was allowed to move in the opposite direction. “Due to slippery conditions of the road we allowed only one way traffic to ply on the highway. At least 2000 vehicles including 80 SRTC buses were allowed to move towards Jammu. 95 percent of the stranded trucks on this side of the tunnel were cleared today,” said Inspector General of Traffic, Hemant Kumar Lohia.

He said that tomorrow the road will remain open for only the stranded Srinagar bound stranded vehicles and the SRTC buses. “Still there are hundreds of supply trucks at halt on the other side of the road and we will try to clear them all tomorrow. Besides the SRTC buses will be allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar,” IG said. About the movement of the light passenger vehicles on the road, the IG said, “The road is still slippery at many places and it will not be advisable to allow light vehicles to ply from either side. People can undertake the journey to Srinagar or Jammu in SRTC buses.” He also said that an SRTC bus towards Jammu will also be operated from Anantnag for the convenience of the people of south Kashmir.