Road communication receiving focused attention in J-K: Omar

Construction of bridges and roads in Jammu and Kashmir received a considerable fillip in the last five years to link rural and remote areas with main highways, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today.
"This was also aimed at ameliorating the lot of people living in backward areas by helping in the generation of economic activities," he said.
Inaugurating a 310-metre-wide double lane concrete bridge over Tarnah Nallah at Magloor in Kathua district of Jammu division built at a cost of Rs 17.18 crore this afternoon, Omar said about 265 major bridges were completed in the state during the last five years, besides 500 road construction projects.

He said the road communication sector, being essentially important for inclusive socio-economic growth, received priority attention and about 10,000 kms of roads have been constructed and upgraded besides macadamising 15,000 kms roads in the state during the last five years.
The Chief Minister said two flyovers were constructed in Jammu and Srinagar to provide better road communication and give relief to the commuters from frequent traffic jams.
He said over 1,150 road projects were launched in rural areas under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and 713 have been completed so far under the central rural road scheme.

The state government got 650 schemes, costing Rs 1,774 crore, for constructing about 3,500 kms roads cleared from the Centre under Phase VIII and IX of PMGSY, he said.

The Magloor bridge will benefit villages of Magloor, Torsi, Rehni, Malani, Gurah Panditan, Satt, Bakhta, Forelain, Dhani, Baria and adjacent areas. It will benefit about 25,000 people and generate economic activities in these areas, he said.
The area being remote, people who are largely dependent on agriculture and allied activities were facing difficulties in transporting their produce to markets and fertilisers, seeds and domestic goods from towns and cities to their areas.