Beacon misses Aug 20 deadline to complete Shalteng-HMT stretch

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 27

The Beacon has missed the August 20 deadline to complete Shalteng-HMT stretch of the highway in Srinagar. The organisation now hopes to complete the road link and throw the tube open for vehicular traffic by August 29.

The Shalteng-HMT stretch of the Srinagar- Baramulla highway witnesses traffic jams on daily basis, causing hardship to commuters.

On July 25, the Beacon had assured Minister for R&B Mohammad Altaf Bukhari of completing the second tube of the Shalteng-HMT Chowk stretch by August 20. The road link is part of the Srinagar-Baramulla four-laning project.

“Yes, there has been a delay in completion of this (Shalteng-HMT Chowk) stretch. But we hope to open the tube for traffic from the petrol pump, near the TATA Motors showroom, to the HMT Chowk by August 29. It will help in easing traffic congestion,” said Brigadier Ashih Kumar Das, Chief Engineer, Beacon, which is executing the highway widening project.

Brigadier Das told The Tribune that the stretch before the TATA Motors, connecting bypass and the highway, would be left untouched as despite repeated requests the PHE Department had not shifted a water pipe from the area. “It has delayed work on the stretch,” he said.

The Beacon had assured the state government of completing the remaining portion from the HMT Chowk to Narbal crossing on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway by November-end.

“We have also made substantial progress on this (HMT Chowk to Narbal) stretch and hope to complete the work before the deadline,” said Brigadier Das.

Though the Beacon is the main agency responsible for the widening of Srinagar-Baramulla highway, it has allotted civil works to a local constructing company M/s Jhelum Construction Co.