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• While successive regimes in Jammu and Kashmir and at the Centre are crediting themselves for 4-laning project of Srinagar-Jammu highway, the chances of timely accomplishment of this crucial flagship project seem to be very bleak as work on its two vital patches is yet to be approved by the Government of India. The project is to be completed by 2016. Informed sources told Greater Kashmir that completion of 4-laning of Srinagar-Jammu highway is likely to be delayed as two out of the total six sub-projects, are yet to be approved by Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPAC), an inter-ministerial committee and Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI).

•  The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) which is the overarching body for the implementation of the project has divided the work on widening of the highway into six sub-projects which include Srinagar-Banihal sector (67.76 Kms), Qazigund-Banihal sector (15.25 Kms), Banihal-Ramban sector (36 Kms), Ramban-Udhampur (43-Kms), Chenani-Nashri (12 Kms) and Jammu-Udhampur (65 Kms). While contract for Srinagar-Banihal segment has been awarded to Ramkey Infra and JPTEG Indian-China, Qazigund–Banihal has been awarded to Navyuga Engineering Co. Ltd, Chenani-Nashri to IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd, Jammu–Udhampur to Shapoorji & Palonji Co. Ltd, the tendering process for Ramban-Banihal and Udhampur–Ramban sections is yet to be completed.

•  According to sources in NHAI, the tenders were invited for these two sections twice in 2010, but were rejected, both times, due to higher bids quoted by the private firms. “Now, we have restructured the proposals and they will be put before PPAC for approval. Then the proposals will go to CCI for final nod,” they said, adding, “Tenders are unlikely to be floated by the end of this year as the clearance of the same is going to take some time.” Not only this, NHAI is yet to take over few portions of the highway from Border Roads Organization (BRO), that have already been awarded to the private firms. “NHAI was supposed to take over the entire highway by March- April 2011. But till date they have only taken over 100 Kms,” Chief Engineer Beacon, Brigadier TS Rawat told this newspaper.

•  He said that initiation of new work becomes difficult as two agencies cannot work on the same stretch. Project Director of NHAI Srinagar, Veerendra Singh admits that work on the two stretches is yet to take off, but at the same time expressed ignorance over the reasons behind the delay. He further said that work on other segments is in full swing and it will be completed within the stipulated time.

•  Jammu and Kashmir Government too echoed the same views for delay in undertaking the work. “I don’t know the cause for delay in bidding of this 79-kilometer patch (Ramban-Banihal and Udhampur–Ramban). We have nothing to do with tendering as it is prerogative of Centre,” Minister of State for Roads & Buildings, Javaid Ahmad Dar said. He said their mandate is confined to facilitating the land acquisition, but added that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is actively pursuing the matter with the Centre.

•  “This highway project will not only shorten the distance between Srinagar and Jammu, but would also give us respite from the frequent closure of the highway and the accidents taking place on it,” he added. Once the project is completed, the distance between Srinagar-Jammu will be reduced by 50 Kms. Pertinently, the work on the four segments of highway was handed over to the private companies under Build Operate Transfer (BOT) package through bidding by NHAI.

•  It will also have two long tunnels. The 9-km Qazigund-Banihal tunnel is being constructed by Navayuga Engineering Company Limited while work on Chenani-Nashri tunnel is being undertaken by IL&FS Transportation Networks Limited. Besides the two long tunnels the highway will also comprise of 12 short tunnels with a cumulative length of 6.2 kilometers. The 4-laning project of Srinagar-Jammu highway is part of the North-South–East-West Corridor (NS-EW) - largest ongoing highway project in India. It is managed by the NHAI under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

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