Srinagar, July 28: Here’s some bad news for thousands of people driving down the Hyderpora square where the busy Airport Road intersects with the Srinagar-Jammu highway. The site is feared to witness worst of the traffic jams not for day or two but at-least five months.
 This is because the Roads and Building department has declined to delay the construction of central span of the under-construction Hyderpora flyover till the two adjacent spans connecting to it would be ready.
 As if the traffic mess Tuesday, which literally took the south City hostage during relaxation call by Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Geelani, wasn’t enough that the R&B plans to continue with its “pesky plan”.

THE PLAN
 The Hyderpora flyover, which has been suffering from chronic delay in completion, as per the plan, comprises of nine spans including the central span.
 Till now the R&B was focusing only on the two sides of the central span while this 100 odd meter space in the middle was kept open for the vehicular movement at the square.

THE EXPERT OPINION
 Experts say under “sensible plan” keeping in view the traffic flow at the square, the shuttering for the central span should have been laid once the two side spans would be ready.
 “Once complete, the two immediate side spans can provide enough space for the movement of vehicles beneath and the work on the central span wouldn’t hamper the public movement. This is what should have been logically done,” said a retired engineer requesting not to be named.
 “Till then the shuttering should be used to construct other pending spans,” he added.

R&B SNUBS OPINION
 Reacting to the expert opinion, the R&B officials said: “Expert preach what cannot be practiced.”
 Commenting over the expert view, the Chief Engineer R&B Nazir Ahmed said: “We are aware of such expert views but the problem is that doing things that will delay the entire project.”
 “The central span will take around five months to complete and if we delay its completion till the side spans get ready, the project will get delayed, which we can’t afford,” the Chief Engineer told Greater Kashmir.
 “Work has to be done in connectivity,” he added.

TUESDAY TERROR
 The shuttering for the central span was erected in the past days of siege and Hartals. But the day one of relaxation Tuesday proved a terror for thousands of commuters who remained stuck in jams for hours together. Gridlocks stretched for kilometers along the highway and the Airport road.
 The passengers were so helpless that leave apart others, the leading banker and Chief Executive of the JK Bank, Dr Haseeb Drabu had to take lift from a biker who rode him pillion from Srinagar International Airport to the Corporate Office.

MINISTER SPEAKS
 The R&B Minister GM Saroori admitted the people could face inconvenience due to the ongoing construction.
 “But we have taken up the matter with the Traffic police and the Divisional Commissioner and they have assured us of all support to facilitate traffic movement,’ Saroori told Greater Kashmir.
 To a question that the Tuesday terror could recur on relaxation days in line with the Hurriyat calendar, Saroori said: “That way people will have to bear with the situation.”
 “Thoodi Takleef Tao Logon Ko Uthani Padhai Gi,” Saroori added.
 The Minister said he was personally supervising the flyover work and holds weekly review meetings with the R&B officials.
 “I have asked the Chief Engineer to visit the site on regular basis so that the work goes on smoothly,” the Minister added.
 “But once the flyover tube is completed, people will be benefited,” he said.

THE DELAYED PROJECT
 Despite repeated assurances, the successive regimes over the years failed to meet deadlines on the flyover construction.
 Finally, three months ago, in an apparent face saving, the R&B said only half of the flyover would be completed by December this year.
 In 2006, the National Highway Authorities of India allotted the Rs 62.95 crore flyover work to the state’s R&B. The work was to be completed within 18 months. But due to “snail’s pace” progress, even the paper work on design couldn’t be put to place in the period. Subsequently the deadline was extended.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST