J&K targets 4,200 km PMGSY roads in 2021-22

JAMMU, MAY 26: The Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam today held a meeting with the Principal Secretary, Public Works Department (R&B), to review the progress made under the flagship programme, ‘Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana’ (PMGSY) in the previous financial year and fixed a target of completing 4,200 km of road this fiscal.

While appreciating the progress made in the previous financial year, the Chief Secretary observed that the Department has registered an unprecedented achievement by completing 3,300 km of rural roads under various schemes, thereby providing safe and secure all-weather connectivity to the eligible habitations.

The Chief Secretary maintained that the Department must utilize the acquired expertise in fast-tracked project execution to achieve a road length of 4,200 km this fiscal. The projected target includes 800 km and 3400 km rural road in Kashmir and Jammu province, respectively.

He asked the Principal Secretary to periodically review district-wise progress for timely resolution of bottlenecks and associated challenges. He advised the Department to prioritize works that are free from encumbrances while simultaneously resolving such issues/grievances in the projects facing delays.

The Department was also asked to maintain quality standards of new constructions and ensure creation of high-quality infrastructure, besides undertaking routine inspections of the works with focussed attention on maintenance works.

The Chief Secretary also reviewed issues related to un-awarded works, forest clearances, land acquisition, quality standards, and utility shifting.