JAMMU, JAN 18: In a strategic move, the Government of India (GoI) aims to fast-track the completion of key projects in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has received directives to prioritize the completion of the 58.96 Km Jammu Ring Road, with a deadline set for March 31 this year.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has specifically instructed the NHAI to expedite the ongoing work on the Jammu Ring Road to ensure its inauguration before the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“We have been directed by the union minister, Nitin Gadkari to complete the work on 58.96 km long Jammu Ring Road by or before March 31 of this year,” Regional Officer (RO), NHAI (J&K), Shiv Shanker said, while adding, “the work has been going on 24×7, contingent on weather conditions.”
The fresh directives have prompted the NHAI to modify the design of the Jammu Ring Road and bypass two tunnels along the route to meet the ambitious deadline. The decision to bypass these tunnels is aimed at making the Ring Road fully functional before the specified date.
The 59-kilometer, 4-lane Ring Road, connecting Samba district to Jagti on the Jammu Udhampur National Highway, traverses various areas, including Akhnoor Road to Kot Bhalwal. A 5-kilometer stretch has already been opened for traffic.
The GoI’s objective is to have the entire 58.96 Km Ring Road operational before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The recent directions to the NHAI underscore the government’s commitment to completing critical infrastructure projects in the region, enhancing connectivity and development.
