Thursday 17 / October / 2024
New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced the completion of the construction of the 1.08-kilometer long, four-lane Ramban viaduct on the Udhampur-Ramban section of National Highway-44.
Calling it a monumental achievement, Gadkari in a post on X said, "In Jammu and Kashmir, we have successfully completed the construction of the Ramban Viaduct, a remarkable feat spanning a length of 1.08 kilometers with 4 lanes. The project, built at a cost of Rs 328 crore is situated on the Udhampur-Ramban section of National Highway 44."
"This extraordinary viaduct is composed of 26 spans and employs a combination of concrete and steel girders in its structural design," he added.
Gadkari said that this project will significantly alleviate traffic congestion in Ramban Bazar and facilitate a smoother flow of vehicles.
Union Minister further stated that the Centre is dedicated to providing quality infrastructure to Jammu and Kashmir.
"Embracing the visionary leadership of PM Modi, we stand dedicated to providing Jammu and Kashmir with a superlative highway infrastructure. This monumental achievement not only propels regional economic prosperity but also augments its allure as a top-tier tourist haven," he said.
NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) is building a 2.200-kilometre-long Dhalwas NH44 flyover at a cost of Rs 371 crore that will bypass the sinking stretch in Ramban, officials said.
According to the Project Director, NHAI, Purshottam Kumar Phonsa, the flyover is being constructed to pass the steadily sinking area. The sliding hill slope above NH44 along the stretch is also being strengthened through rock bolting and coir matting.
In Ramban, in a massive landslide on March 28, 2020 at Dhalwas, 37 houses were damaged and about 400 Kanal land of villagers had sunken. A big stretch of NH44 below it had also been damaged, and it has been steadily sinking since then.
Since then, this road stretch has been a big problem for drivers and commuters, besides being a constant obstacle to traffic movement between Jammu and Srinagar. It is repaired intermittently by the NHAI, even suspending traffic between Jammu and Srinagar for a full day.
The NHAI official informed that after the completion of the project in August 2024, the traffic movement in the sector will become smooth and trouble-free.
The drivers,commuters,traders and locals are optimistic that with the completion of the flyover, their protracted agony will soon end.
