Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency today started work on Rs 9.16 crore “Rigid Concrete Pavement “of Civil –Secretariat to Rambagh Chowk road. The work on the sub-project being executed under World Bank funded JTFRP (Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project) was kick started in presence of Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, J&KERA/JTFRP.
Javed Iqbal Tara, Director, Kashmir JKERA informed CEO,JKERA/JTFRP that the 1.9 kms long road stretch is being upgraded with an objective of making the flood vulnerable portions of the Indira Gandhi road resilient to floods by using the rigid concrete pavement technology instead of the conventional flexible pavement which is more susceptible to damages during water logging. He said the road portion is being upgraded at an approximate cost of Rs 9.16 crore and will be strengthened with the laying three layers comprising of GSB (Granular sub Base), DLC (Dry Lean Concrete) and the final layer of PQC (Pavement Quality Concrete) The project has a timeline of 12 months and will directly benefit thousands of people living on both the sides of the road which include Rambagh, Solina, Allochibagh, Tulsi Bagh, Hazuri Bagh, Magarmal Bagh, Saraibala, Shaheedgunj, Maharaji Bazar, Natipora,Bakshi Stadium,Batmaloo etc.
Dr. Syed Abid Shah also inspected the progress of work on the “Rigid Concrete Pavement” of 1.49 km Peerbagh-Humhama road portion of the Indira Gandhi road in Srinagar. Director, Kashmir, JKERA informed that work on road stretch is in full swing and as on date work on 500 meters of road stretch has been completed.
This is for the first time that ‘Concrete Rigid Pavement Technology’ is being used at a large scale for up-gradation of roads in Jammu and Kashmir. The rigid concrete pavement technology is being used as a long term protection against the recurrent damages caused due to the frequent water logging during the torrential rains and to make the vital road stretch leading upto to the Srinagar International Airport more durable and flood resilient.
Similarly another very significant road in Srinagar city which is also vulnerable to recurrent damages due to water logging – eastern foreshore road around the Brari-Nambal water body in downtown Srinagar is also being upgraded using the “Rigid Concrete Pavement” technology under JTFRP. Confirmatory survey on the sub-project is underway and work on sub-project is being started soon.
Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, J&KERA/JTFRP directed the engineers to complete all the necessary formalities that are prerequisite for the start of work on other road sub-projects.. He also directed engineers to closely supervise and monitor the progress of works under execution to ensure that timelines for the completion of these works are met and all the quality control parameters of the works are fully complied with.
J&K ERA is executing the road upgradation sub-project as PIU (Project Implementation Unit) for the World Bank funded JTFRP (Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project) under the component of Construction of Roads and Bridges.
Worth mentioning J&KERA under the JTFRP is PIU (Project Implementation Unit) for several other major road upgradation projects’ in Kashmir which include upgradation of Kadlabal-Lasjan, Pampore –Pulwama road, Hamray –Sultanpora Nowgam to Sumbal bridge , Shadipora –Khanpeeth Sumbal road, Hajin Ajas road via Saidanara, Rambagh- Civil secretariat road, Eastern foreshore road, Peerbagh to Humhama road, Parimpora-Soibugh road, Sangam-Khudwani road, Bijbehara to Karihama National Highway via Katriteng in Kashmir Division with a cumulative cost of Rs 270 crore approximately.