The Asian Development Bank will fund the construction of grade separators along the important Srinagar expressway bypass, in order to reduce accidents and frequent traffic snarls in absence of small flyovers.
A senior official informed that ADB has agreed to grantthird tranche loan of Rs 4,000 crore for development projects of the state. ADBhas told the JK government that it would provide loan for improvisation of urbanservices, water supply, roads and drainage system in the state.
Following this, the Jammu and Kashmir EconomicReconstruction Agency has included the construction of grade separators alongthe bypass in this phase of funding.
Director JKERA, Javid Tara, said that once the completionreport of works taken under the second ADB loan tranche is submitted, the fundswill be provided to undertake take works proposed to be completed with the helpof third loan tranche.
“Hopefully within next month, we would initiate work onproposed grade separators at Sanat Nagar and Bemina under the ADB funding,” hesaid adding that “almost all the work undertaken under second ADB loan tranchehas been completed following which ADB will release fund for the third phase.”
The Government of India has already given clearance for theplan while ADB has agreed for granting a loan of around Rs 4000 crore to thestate for the development projects.
“The road corridor witnesses huge number of vehicles comingfrom northern and southern parts of Kashmir. It also witnesses frequentmovement of security personnel vehicles. For passage of these vehicles, thecivilian traffic movement is stopped for half an hour or so. The number ofconflicting usages and the high vehicular and pedestrian volumes act as barrierto redevelopment and growth of the area,” the proposal states.
The proposed project is part of a long term plan of thestate government to improve urban transport facility in the summer capital.
As per the proposal, the construction was aimed to removetraffic congestion along the highway and also decrease the number of roadaccidents which are frequently witnessed on the important road corridor.