SRINAGAR: In response to a news item carried out by a local daily regarding the widening of the 2 km left-out stretch of the National Highway in south Kashmir’s Anantnag town, the news report is factually incorrect and NHIDCL was not consulted before publication of said news item.
According to the NHIDCL communique, the works on km 235 (Vailoo) to km 263(Donipawa) has been completed recently by NHIDCL while the works on the stretch from km 193 (Sinthanpass) to km 235 (Vailoo) are under maintenance as part of NH-244. “The stretch from existing km 263 (Donipwa) to km 265 i.e. Janglatmandi (2 km stretch under consideration) is not part of the project,” it reads.
The communique said that a new bypass from km 263 on NH-244 (Donipawa) to Alstop on NH-44 (8.47 km length) is under construction and is expected to be completed by October 2023 and the Donipwa- Janglatmandi stretch will be completely bypassed as traffic coming from Jammu and destined to NH- 244 will take this new bypass.
“Moreover, airing is also proposed to be formed (under the DPR stage) by the construction of a bypass (Khanabal Bypass) between Sursunoo (NH-44) and Bumzoo (NH-501) and a link road between Mattan (NH-501) and Achabal (NH-244),” it said.
The communique further said that with the construction of this airing, the stretch of Donipwa- Janglatmandi will be completely bypassed from both sides and traffic from NH-44 to NH-501 and NH-244 will take these roads thus de-congesting the said stretch.