State PWDs to take over development of BRO roads in three states

In a bid to reduce the workload of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the state Public Works Department (PWD) has taken upon itself the onus of completing national highway work in different ‘border’ states. This includes 50% highway work in Uttarakhand, as well as a few highway stretches in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. This will enable the BRO to concentrate on the development of other strategic roads, which have a higher priority.

Transfer of 3,000 km of BRO roads to state PWDs:

Based on the mutual agreement between the Road Transport and Highways ministry, and the Defense ministry, it was decided to transfer highway development work on these stretches to the state PWDs.  The Road Transport and Highways ministry is planning to have a separate wing within the ministry for managing roads in Border States. The objective of this move is to promote road construction along the tough terrains as well as to improve the transport connectivity of these states. Currently, about 5,000 km of national highways (NH) are being planned in such states under the BRO. Following this agreement, about 3,000 km of these roads are being proposed to be handed over to state PWDs.

Transfer of five major stretches in Uttarakhand:

Earlier, in July this year, the defense secretary had agreed upon the proposal to transfer NH work under BRO, in a phased manner to state PWDs. In Uttarakhand alone, the BRO has about 800 km of NH and about 1,000 km of other strategic roads which were proposed to be developed. Among these, around five major stretches of roads were proposed to be handed over to the state PWDs. These include stretches like the  Rishikesh-Gangotri stretch, the Rishikesh-Gauchar stretch, the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund stretch and the Tanakpur-Champawat stretch.

Three other stretches to be transfered by April, 2014:

Following this, a meeting was convened in September this year, which was attended by government officials of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. At this meeting, it was decided that three other stretches with a total extend of about 400 km would be  transfered to the state PWDs by April, 2014. These stretches include the Rishikesh-Dharasu stretch, the Dharasu-Uttar-Kashi stretch and the Rishikesh-Rudraprayag stretch. The transfer of the remaining stretches was proposed to be completed in two phases by April, 2015, since work was still going on along these stretches.

Stretches for proposed transfer in HP and J&K:

In Himachal Pradesh, the state government has proposed to take over the development of about 31 km of highway stretch between Wangtu and Powari by April, 2014. Similarly, in Jammu and Kashmir, the state PWD has proposed to take over the 274 km NH-1B stretch between Batota and Khanabal by April, 2014.