Nitin Gadkari approves over Rs 3900 cr for highway projects in J&K, Ladakh, Punjab

Srinagar, November 19: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, approved works on National Highways and roads worth Rs. 3900 crores in UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and neighbouring State of Punjab (including construction of Akhnoor-Poonch road on National Highway 144-A). Gadkari announced the new works through a series of tweets.

Officials said, “New works will give major boost to road infrastructure in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh besides the State of Punjab.”

The Highways Minister has approved a budget of Rs 441 crore for rehabilitation and up gradation work to 2-lane with paved shoulder on Akhnoor-Poonch road on the National Highway 144-A. He also approved construction work of 4/6-lane Access-Controlled Expressway from junction with Pathankot-Gurdaspur road (National Highway-54) near Balsua to junction with Hiranagar road in Kathua district of Jammu near village Gurha Baildaran of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.

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This will cost Rs 3044.02 crore, and will cover State of Punjab and the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir. In Ladakh, Gadkari has approved construction work of 3 realignments including Drass, Kharboo and Kargil between Pandrass-Pashkyum on Zojila-Kargil-Leh road (National Highway-I) with 2-lane.

The work has been sanctioned at the cost of Rs 426.14 crore, said officials.

They said the 3 works approved at the cost of over Rs 3900 crore, will give major boost to developing highways and road infrastructure network in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and the neighbouring State of Punjab; especially the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway which will sharply reduce travel time and distance between New Delhi and Jammu.

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Delhi-Katra Expressway will pass through 4 States/UTs namely New Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and will greatly benefit travellers.