POONCH: Deputy Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma on Sunday conducted an extensive field inspection of the under-construction Akhnoor–Poonch National Highway (NH-144A) and resolved several pending land acquisition and compensation issues to facilitate faster progress on the strategic road project.
Accompanied by officers from the district administration, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and other concerned agencies, the DC inspected the highway stretch from Sanjiot to Poonch, reviewing the status of construction works and bottlenecks affecting execution.
During the visit, BRO officials briefed the Deputy Commissioner about the progress achieved so far, site-specific challenges and locations where work was being delayed due to unresolved land acquisition and compensation matters.
The DC interacted with affected landowners and stakeholders at various locations and reviewed individual cases on the spot. Several pending land acquisition and compensation issues were resolved during the inspection, paving the way for the transfer of obstruction-free stretches to the executing agencies and providing relief to affected residents.
Officials said the field visit proved effective as all concerned departments arrived with relevant land records, acquisition files and compensation documents, enabling immediate verification of claims and quick decision-making at project sites.
Sharma directed all departments to maintain close coordination and adopt a proactive, time-bound approach to settle the remaining issues, stressing that administrative bottlenecks should not hamper the timely completion of the highway project.
The Deputy Commissioner reiterated the administration’s commitment to facilitating smooth execution of NH-144A, a key road connectivity project expected to improve transportation and enhance economic activity in the border district.
