JAMMU: The re-alignment work of Galhar-Sansari road, connecting Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir with Himachal Pradesh, has been completed by the Project Beacon of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), an official spokesperson said on Sunday.
The new bypass road has been built by 118 Road Construction Company of the General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) to ensure round-the-year movement of all types of vehicles, besides providing connectivity to various villages in the remote Paddar area of Kishtwar, the spokesperson said.
He said the new road would help in evading the earlier world's dangerous rock cut stretch on which only light vehicles used to ply.
Complimenting the GREF, District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar, Rajinder Singh Tara said the work on the re-alignment has ensured employment of locals along with development of the hilly district.
"It will also increase the tourism potential of the Padder sub-division and Pangi valley of Himachal Pradesh thus boosting socio-economic development of the entire region," he said.
The road passes through the rough mountain terrain with over hanging and half tunnelling stretches, mostly in hard rock strata.
The sector also experiences heavy snowfall, flash floods and sub-zero temperature during winters making tough working conditions for GREF employees and the administration.
The road witnesses heavy traffic during Mindal Mata, Chittoo Mata and Machail Mata Yatra and is also the alternative route which connects Jammu and Kashmir to Himachal Pradesh during winters as the Rohtang Pass, Sach Pass remains closed, the spokesperson said.
Keeping in view of these issues, he said a re-alignment for this stretch was proposed and construction of Galhar-Sansari road from 55.100 to 58.775 km with net length of 10.925 km commenced in August 2018 and was completed in record time.
He said the proposed date of completion for formation work for 10 m width on this stretch has been fixed for June 2021 and the black topping to be completed in March 2022, the spokesperson said.