SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today directed the concerned to intensify their checking at Toll Plazas and not allow any misfit or overloaded vehicles to ply over the main national highway as they breakdown on the way causing massive inconvenience to others.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, PWD; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Deputy Commissioner Jammu/ Udhampur/ Ramban; Chief Engineer, R&B, Kashmir/Jammu besides other concerned officers.
Dr Mehta took note of the reports of traffic jams on the highway for the last few days and enquired about its status from the concerned Deputy Commissioners. He enjoined upon them to ensure that the carriageway of the Highway is not allowed to be used for parking or truck holding areas anywhere.
He asked for allowing only those vehicles which are carrying stipulated loads on the highway so that there are fewer disruptions on the highway due to vehicular breakdowns or very slow speeds. He also called for reports against each such breakdown incident for having clarity about the actual reasons behind them. He also asked for devising SOPs for handling these breakdown events on the highway.
The Chief Secretary asked for measures to improve the width of the road surface near the Nachlana and Dalwas areas. He also stressed on carrying out protection works like the installation of crash barriers and parapets on the critical stretches of the highway. He directed the highway authorities to periodically clear the debris getting accumulated on the sides of the road to increase its carriageway.
Dr Mehta maintained that there should be surety with a traveler that the delays if any would not exceed more than an hour under any circumstances. He made out that a few kilometers of bad stretch should not be made an excuse for poor management of the traffic. He directed for increasing manpower to manage traffic on critical stretches, especially in Ramban District in consultation with the District Administration.
The Chief Secretary stated that measures to improve the traffic scenario should include the use of Mughal Road to lighten the volume of traffic on NH-44. It was also given out that at least 4 truck holding areas on the national highway are being designated besides hastening the completion of bridges, tunnels, and viaducts for making travel on this road comfortable and pleasant in the months ahead.
