SRINAGAR: Dr Arun Kumar Mehta Chief Secretary today directed the concerned to intensify their checking at Toll Plazas and not allow any misfit or overloaded vehicles to ply over the main national highway as they breakdown on the way causing massive inconvenience to others.Along with other pertinent personnel, the meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, PWD, the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, the Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Udhampur, and Ramban, and the Chief Engineer, R&B, Kashmir/Jammu.Dr. Mehta noted the reports of recent highway traffic congestion and asked the relevant Deputy Commissioners about their current situation. He commanded them to make sure that the Highway’s carriageway was never used for truck holding areas or parking.To reduce traffic jams caused by vehicle breakdowns or extremely slow speeds, he requested that only those vehicles carrying the allotted weights be allowed on the highway.In order to understand the true causes of each occurrence of such collapse, he also demanded reports against each one. He also requested that SOPs be developed for dealing with these breakdown incidents on the roadway.
The Chief Secretary requested actions to widen the road surface close to the Nachlana and Dalwas localities.
Additionally, he emphasised the importance of doing protection tasks like installing crash barriers and parapets on the highway’s most crucial sections. He gave the highway officials the order to regularly clean the rubbish that had gathered on the road’s sides in order to widen the carriageway.
According to Dr. Mehta, a traveller should be guaranteed that any delays, if any, won’t last longer than an hour in any situation.
He said that a few substandard kilometres of road should not be used as justification for inadequate traffic management.
In collaboration with the District Administration, he gave the order to increase the number of people managing traffic on key stretches, particularly in the Ramban District.
According to the Chief Secretary, using Mughal Road to reduce traffic on NH-44 is one of the measures that should be taken to ameliorate the traffic situation.In addition to speeding up the development of bridges, tunnels, and viaducts, it was announced that at least 4 truck holding spaces on the national highway are being allocated to make travel on this route comfortable and enjoyable in the months to come.
