Chief Executive Officer, Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (JKERA), Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, on Thursday inspected the pace of progress on all weather Concrete Rigid Pavement being raised at the vital Indira Gandhi road from Peerbagh to Humhama Chowk.He visited the site and took stock of ongoing construction works on this vital project and directed the officials to submit daily progress report of the work to ensure that it is completed strictly within the set deadline.He asked the executing agencies to work in double shift for completion of the work on the sub-project, being executed under the World Bank-funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP), within next 45 days.
The officials informed that this 1.491 km long road stretch is being upgraded with the objective of making the flood-vulnerable portions of Indira Gandhi road resilient to floods by using the rigid concrete pavement technology. The conventional flexible pavement is more susceptible to damages during winters due to water logging, they added.The officials said the road portion has been strengthened with laying of three layers comprising GSB (Granular sub-Base), DLC (Dry Lean Concrete) and the final layer of PQC (Pavement Quality Concrete).Dr. Abid, who inspected the progress of work on the pavement of this road portion, directed the officials to work in double shifts and complete the work on the vital road as soon as possible.
Notably, this is for the first time that rigid concrete pavement technology is being used at a large-scale for up gradation of roads in Jammu and Kashmir, an official spokesman said. The technology is being used as long-term protection against the recurrent damages caused due to frequent water-logging during torrential rains. This latest technological innovation will make the vital road stretch leading up to the Srinagar International Airport more durable and flood resilient.Similarly, another significant road in the Srinagar city, which is also vulnerable to recurrent damages due to water logging ‘eastern foreshore road around the Brari-Nambal water body in downtown Srinagar’ is also being upgraded using the rigid concrete pavement technology under JTFRP.
Dr. Abid also directed engineers to monitor the progress of works under execution to ensure that the timeline for the completion of these works are met and all the quality-control parameters of the works are fully complied with.Meanwhile, the locals and trader bodies in the area lauded the government, especially Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha for his visionary approach towards development of Jammu and Kashmir in a total revolutionary manner.
“We are highly thankful to LG, CEO and officials of JKERA for proposing this out-of-the-box solution to this area,” said Muhammad Yusuf Kuchay, a local trader.Pertinently, the sub project area is located in the southern part of Srinagar City on lG road. The road starts on Airport report road at Peerbagh and terminates at Humhama Chowk Junction which leads to Srinagar international Airport and connects with Budgam district. Work on the project was started last year after a long hiatus of four years.
