Faizan Wani
Srinagar, Oct 12: Jammu and Kashmir will have a standing empowered committee to decide on annual allocation of funds for maintenance of different categories of roads in the Union Territory.
According to the Road Maintenance Policy, the empowered committee headed by Chief Secretary will comprise administrative secretaries of departments of Finance & Public Works (Roads & Buildings), Chief Engineers of Public Works Department and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
The committee, according to the policy, will also look at other avenues to generate resources for maintenance of roads.
“The committee shall also explore avenues for mobilizing additional funds for reducing the gap between the funds required and those made available for maintenance of roads,” reads the policy.
The other avenues, according to the policy, would be additional cess on transport fuels and premium and rental charges to be imposed on road users for laying utility services like OFC/ cable network for phone connectivity etc.
It is worthwhile to mention that administrative council headed by LG Manoj Sinha recently approved the Road Maintenance Policy for better planning and execution of maintenance of roads in the UT.
The gross road length in J&K is 41600 kilometers, of which 29770 kms are surfaced (20, 500 Kms is under PWD and 14100 Kms is under PMGSY) and 7000 Kms is unsurfaced. 1908.89 Kms have been transferred to Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Jammu Municipal Corporation as per 74th amendment of the Constitution of India to empower local bodies.
