The Union government has sanctioned the biggest ever road package for Jammu and Kashmir worth Rs 4,224.23 crore for 316 road projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). J&K is the first among all states and UTs which got sanction under PMGSY-IV on Wednesday. The package will provide connectivity to 390 eligible habitations with a population of more than 250.
Under this package sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, a total road length of 1,781.33 km will be covered, thus providing a big boost to rural road connectivity. A majority of the 316 road projects will cover rural roads of Jammu region as this region still has poor road network as compared to Kashmir region.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the package. Sinha said the package would usher in a new era of prosperity in far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir. “Grateful to PM Narendra Modi & Union Minister of Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan for sanctioning 316 road projects at an estimated cost of Rs 4224 cr under Batch-I of PMGSY-IV for providing connectivity to 390 eligible habitations,” the Lieutenant Governor posted on X.
Previously, under PMGSY-III, package funds to the tune of Rs 2,330 crore were sanctioned for 229 rural roads and 66 bridges in Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the projects sanctioned previously pertained to upgradation of roads. For the construction of 66 small and medium bridges, an amount of Rs 377.91 crore was sanctioned last time, while there are no bridge projects under the fresh package.
For 223 rural road projects in the UT last time, an amount of Rs 1,952.42 crore was sanctioned last time, whereas under the fresh package, all the roads sanctioned will be constructed anew. The average cost of road per km under the fresh package has been projected as Rs 237.14 lakh.
PMGSY provides all-weather road connectivity to villages in rural and remote areas. The roads will help people travel more easily to schools, hospitals and markets, and access other essential services in the region. This project is part of a larger development push by the Modi government after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Since then, the government has focused on improving infrastructure, healthcare, education, housing, water supply and digital connectivity in the region.
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