JAMMU: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday laid the foundation stone for 110 road projects under PMGSY-IV, Batch-I of 2026-27, covering nearly 600 km across Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts at a sanctioned cost of ₹1,503.53 crore.
The projects, spanning 598.455 km, are expected to benefit 46,972 people in remote and difficult hilly areas of the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda-Kishtwar region.
Dr Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for according priority to the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Parliamentary constituency over the past 12 years.
He said Udhampur had consistently figured among the country’s top three districts in terms of PMGSY road projects, reflecting the Government’s focus on expanding rural connectivity.
Dr Singh said the latest package demonstrated the commitment to taking all-weather road connectivity to the last mile, particularly villages and habitations located in difficult mountainous terrain.
He said the expanding road network would improve mobility and ease of travel, while providing better access to schools, healthcare facilities, markets, workplaces and other essential services.
The Minister said senior citizens and school-going children were among those who had faced the greatest difficulties in remote areas, particularly during the rainy season when poor road conditions often disrupted movement.
He said improved connectivity was also benefiting women in far-flung villages by making access to education, healthcare, markets and employment easier.
Roads to Aid Security Forces
Dr Singh said connectivity in difficult hilly terrain also had an important security dimension.
He said some remote areas had in the past posed security challenges and remained vulnerable to movement by militants and terrorists. Better roads, he said, would facilitate faster movement of security forces and strengthen anti-militancy and counter-terror operations while simultaneously bringing development closer to local communities.
Udhampur Gets Largest Share
Giving the district-wise breakup, Dr Singh said Udhampur accounted for the largest number of projects, with 44 roads covering 235.040 km at a sanctioned cost of about ₹554.90 crore.
Kathua will get 24 roads covering 128.925 km at a cost of around ₹307.12 crore, while Kishtwar has 16 projects spanning 83.950 km with a sanctioned cost of approximately ₹224.88 crore.
Doda accounts for 13 projects covering 90.180 km at a cost of around ₹260.66 crore, while Ramban has 13 road projects spanning 60.360 km with a sanctioned cost of approximately ₹154.97 crore.
A notable feature of several projects is the proposed use of waste plastic in road construction, aimed at combining rural connectivity with sustainable infrastructure practices.
Dr Singh said the latest package would further strengthen the PMGSY network across the Parliamentary constituency and adjoining hilly areas.
He recalled that in May, around ₹1,524 crore — nearly 43 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir’s total PMGSY allocation of ₹3,566 crore — had been earmarked for the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda constituency.
He said improved road infrastructure had become especially significant in a region where a large number of villages are located across steep and geographically difficult terrain.
According to the Minister, better roads were reducing travel time while improving access to education, healthcare, markets, employment and other services, thereby contributing to social and economic empowerment.
No Compromise on Road Quality: Dy CM
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, addressing the gathering, said Jammu and Kashmir was firmly on the path of development and assured that issues raised by people would be addressed.
He said contractors executing the road projects would have to strictly adhere to prescribed construction standards and warned that there would be no compromise on quality.
Choudhary said bidding and tendering were being undertaken according to prescribed norms and strict action would follow in case of shortcomings in execution.
MLAs Pawan Kumar Gupta, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Rajiv Jasrotia, Sajad Shaheen, Dr Sunil Bharadwaj, Arjun Singh Raju, Pyare Lal Sharma, Ranbir Singh Pathania, Darshan Kumar and Satish Kumar Sharma were among those present.
MLA Shakti Parihar joined the event virtually, while Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma addressed the gathering through a video message.
The legislators raised issues concerning their respective constituencies, including forest clearances and defaults by contractors.
Dr Singh and the Deputy Chief Minister assured them that the concerns would be taken up on priority and necessary steps initiated to expedite development works and improve connectivity in the affected areas.
