Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu,(DD): The Jammu and Kashmir government has proposed a Rs 63.53 crore project to address traffic congestion in Sopore, particularly around Asia’s largest Fruit Mandi. The plan includes road widening and developing alternative routes to streamline vehicular movement.
Responding to a query in the Assembly, the government clarified that there is no proposal with BEACON or BRO for widening the Amargarh-Model Town bypass road. However, a Rs 46.01 crore Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared for a 2.50 km road widening project, while an additional Rs 17.52 crore has been allocated for strengthening an alternative route from Mazbugh to Ashpeer. The execution of these projects will depend on the availability of funds.
To mitigate congestion, two major roads near the Fruit Mandi have already been upgraded under the PMGSY scheme. These include an 18 km double-lane road connecting the Fruit Mandi to Warpora on the Sopore-Bandipora highway and a 6.4 km double-lane road linking the Mandi to Jalalabad. These roads serve as key routes for traffic coming from Zainageer, Rafiabad, Handwara, Kupwara, and Bandipora.
Regarding the status of three crucial bridges—Sopore-Mazbugh, Maharajpora, and the Seer-Jagir Trussed Grid Bridge—the government admitted significant delays. The Mazbugh and Maharajpora bridges, initially under JKPCC, were later transferred to the R&B department. The Mazbugh bridge project remains stalled due to a lack of contractor interest, while work on the Maharajpora bridge has been delayed as tenders received exceeded estimated costs.
For the Seer-Jagir bridge, technical challenges have emerged during execution. The PWD’s Design, Inspection, and Quality Control (DIQC) wing is currently assessing these issues, and work is expected to resume once solutions are finalized.(DD)
