Mandaviya reviews highway projects in J&K, meets Malik

SRINAGAR: Union minister of state for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh L Mandaviya, who arrived her for two-day visit, reviewed the pace of construction of various highway projects in the state, before meeting Governor Satya Pal Malik and discussing various ongoing as well as the proposed projects.

The minister reviewed the progress of the projects of the National Highways Authority of India, the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways taken up across Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials and representatives from the respective departments presented a detailed overview and status reports of the projects during the meeting, a spokesman said.

Besides taking a stock of the flood preventive and dredging works being taken up on Jhelum river, the Union minister also visited the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) store located at Rajbagh, Srinagar, the spokesman said.

He said Mandaviya is on a two-day visit to the state and would be inspecting the ongoing work of Z-Morh Tunnel near Sonmarg on Saturday. The tunnel will ensure all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Kargil.

Later in the day, Mandaviya met the governor Malik at the Raj Bhavan and extended warm compliments to Malik on his appointment as the governor of the state.

The Union MoS Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Chemicals and Fertilizers, met the governor today, an official spokesman said.

Malik and Mandaviya discussed various ongoing as well as the proposed highways projects in J-K and initiatives introduced by the ministry to improve the road transport fleet with latest technological innovations, including GPS, for the safety and security of the passengers, the spokesman said.

He said the governor and the minister also discussed issues related to the adequate and timely supply of fertilizers to the farmers.

Malik highlighted the vital importance of having a robust road connectivity in J&K which has difficult terrain over a large portion of its total area and observed that improvement in road network would provide required impetus to the tourism sector, the spokesman said.