Last Updated on July 26, 2021 at 6:18 pm
The Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta chaired a meeting to review the status of National Highway-44 and took stock of the ongoing road-widening works especially in District Ramban.
Administrative Secretaries of departments of Revenue, Power Development, Public Works (R&B), and Forest, Ecology & Environment, besides District Development Commissioner (DDC), Ramban, SSP Traffic, National Highway, Ramban, Regional Officer, NHAI, and concerned officers participated in the meeting.
Expressing concern, the Chief Secretary observed that the rate of progress of road-widening/maintenance works is unsatisfactory which is causing inconvenience to the commuters. “The problem is further aggravated by rash and indisciplined lane driving leading to frequent traffic jams; shortage of traffic personnel deputed on NH duty and unannounced movement of army convoys”, he added.
To improve traffic management on the National Highway, the Chief Secretary directed the traffic police to double the manpower to manage traffic at all choking points in addition to implementing suitable remedies to reduce the travel time between Jammu and Srinagar which currently varies from ten to twelve hours on account of mismanaged traffic.
