Rajouri, May 3: Jammu and Kashmir government is examining Rs 161 Crore fresh project submitted by the Mughal Road Construction Project for undertaking rock stabilization work on the under-construction Mughal Road connecting south Kashmir’s Shopian district with Poonch in Jammu region.
 Sources revealed that the officials of the Construction Project have studied the rock stabilization model adopted for road construction works in Mizoram and Assam and have desired to adopt the same in the states.
 “The road is prone to land-slides and we were examining the way by which the sliding can be reduced”, Chief Engineer Mughal Road Project Bimal Koul told Greater Kashmir adding that during the process the techniques being adopted in Assam and Mizoram were found handy. “We have submitted Rs 161 crore project to the state government for the purpose”, he said and added that if approved the project will help to keep the road opened even during the rainy season.
 He said the road has been found to be too prone for the landslides which may be a major hurdle in keeping it open even during the summer season.
 Initially taken up by the then Chief Minister late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah in 1979, the construction work on the road – to be an alternate highway to Kashmir - was started in 2005 with a target of completion in March 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs 255 crores. However, after facing many hiccups the project is now likely to be completed by March 2013.
 According to the Action Taken Report (ATR) for the year 2011-12, tabled by the state government before the Legislative Assembly during the recently concluded budget session, 83 per cent of the road length (70 km out of a total of 84 km) was blacktopped by November 15, 2011.
 Another 7 km is expected to be completed in the next few weeks, completing 90 per cent of smooth riding surface for road users, it said.
 The project’s seven major bridges and allied minor works will be completed by this year, the report said.
 It achieved financial progress of Rs 429.27 crore ending March 2011, the report said, adding the expenditure on the project was Rs 486.80 crore as on November 15 last year, which amounts to approximately 77 per cent of the cost.
 The concerned department foresees a cumulative expenditure of Rs 540 crore ending March 2012, subject to availability of funds and favourable conditions in the area.
 The project retraces the route traversed during the Mughal era over a century ago, traveling from Lahore to Kashmir via Rajouri and Poonch border districts.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 May 2012 00:00:00 IST