Srinagar, Sep 29 (KNO): The Jammu and Kashmir Government has macadamised or upgraded 118.06 km of roads across Srinagar district during the current financial year, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
Replying to legislators' questions during the Autumn Session, Choudhary, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said 15.43 km of roads had been upgraded in the Khanyar constituency under special development directives.
He said the Public Works (R&B) Department was continuing efforts to remove bottlenecks on key road corridors under the supervision of the High-Level Committee (HLC).
On Syed Meerakshah Road, he said 2.68 km of the 10.33-km stretch had been fully widened, while compensation and acquisition proceedings had been completed for 132 of the 332 affected structures.
For the Khanyar-Zadibal-Pandrath Road corridor, 161 of 314 structures have been acquired, with around 2 km of the 12.45-km road widened.
On the Koolipora-Budoobagh Road, 231 metres of the 435-metre widening stretch has been completed and 14 of 29 structures cleared. The remaining 15 cases are being resolved on a fast-track basis. The project has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 4.5 crore, he said.
Choudhary said a proposal for widening and upgrading the Devi Angan-Hawal Road had been submitted under the CRIF scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 31.25 crore, including Rs 30 crore for land acquisition and utility shifting.
Work on the Alamgiri Bazar Chowk project has been approved under the UT Sector at an estimated cost of Rs 3.35 crore. The project includes acquisition of five structures and redesigning of the junction.
For the Buchpora-Hazratbal Road, approval of the revised DPR is awaited. Acquisition proceedings involving 34 structures have been initiated, of which two structures have been acquired and Rs 20 lakh disbursed from the Rs 7 crore allocated for bottleneck removal. The remaining amount is awaiting revalidation, he said.
Choudhary said the Babapora-Habba Kadal Road had been largely cleared, with only four structures remaining, while acquisition of 24 structures was pending on the Habba Kadal-Gowkadal Road.
On the Fateh Kadal-Habba Kadal road via Chinkral Mohalla, 176 structures fall within the widening stretch. Thirteen have been notified under Section 4 and eight acquired through the HLC.
He said some projects were facing delays due to court cases, pending Section 4 notifications, family title disputes and compensation assessments. Following decisions taken at the 264th HLC meeting, the department is implementing a streamlined mechanism to expedite pending land acquisition cases.
On industrial corporations, the Deputy Chief Minister said 591 surplus employees had been identified in SICOP following the closure of its Marketing Wing and Raw Material Depots. The employees are currently engaged on 89-day arrangements.
He said surplus employees from SICOP and J&K Cements Limited had been deployed in J&K SIDCO, which is facing manpower shortages due to retirements. Skilled manpower is also being engaged through outsourcing where required.
In addition, 30 surplus employees from other corporations have been deployed to organisations facing staff shortages.
Regarding SIDCO land at Balol, Choudhary said an anti-encroachment drive had led to the retrieval of 45 kanals of land, while efforts were underway to reclaim the remaining encroached area in coordination with the district administration.
He said the revised Industrial Policy was in the final stage of consideration after a committee examined stakeholders' suggestions and held multiple rounds of consultations.
On the Chadoora main bridge, Choudhary said restoration work was underway after the bridge was declared unsafe and closed to vehicular traffic on November 28, 2025.
Following a technical inspection by NIT Srinagar, a DPR was prepared and administrative approval of Rs 9.99 crore granted. The project was awarded on August 3, 2026, and work is currently in progress, he said.
He added that an alternate bridge near the New Bus Stand in Chadoora had already been constructed. An allocation of Rs 50 lakh has been made for the approach road, while land acquisition and alignment feasibility assessments are under way.
Regarding the Hanjigund bridge project, Choudhary said the bridge and nearly 2.5 km of road had been completed under a NABARD-funded scheme. Overall physical progress has reached 76 per cent and the project is nearing completion, with only a minor portion of work remaining—(KNO)