Last Updated on December 11, 2021 at 4:07 pm
The grade separators along the Srinagar expressway bypass on National Highway-44 seems to be in waiting list forever. Amid the rise in traffic congestion and gridlock, grade separators would provide ease to traffic woes but these three-grade separators are waiting for approval from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways despite the passing of one year since National Highway Authority of India submitted a detailed project report.
In an attempt to ease the traffic woes and congestion, three grade separators were proposed at a cost of 135 crore. The step came after the central government approved Rs 574.16 crore annual plans 2020-21 for national highway works in J&K.
These grade separators will provide relief from traffic at busy intersections such as Bemina, Sanat Nagar, and Nowgam.
NHAI official said that they have submitted the DPR and are awaiting funds from the central government.
One of the most difficult and inconvenient crossing for the commuters is Sanat Nagar as people gets stuck in traffic for long hours. The problem increases by the haphazardly parked cars outside food joints, bakery shops and departmental stores on the southern side of the bypass.
As per the proposal, the construction shall remove traffic woes along the highway and also decrease the number of road accidents.
As per locals, projects would have improved the traffic problem in Srinagar because it receives a large number of vehicles from North to South Kashmir. A local said that civilian traffic is frequently stopped for a half-hour or so to allow security vehicles to pass.
Arun Kumar Pinjari, NHAI’s project director for Srinagar said he was unaware of any such proposal, but that they are currently working on an overhead bridge near the Lasjan area on NH44, which would be finished soon.
