SURANSAR, JAMMU– The World Bank-funded Sidhra-Suransar road upgradation project has brought smiles, prosperity and bulk tourism across the picturesque region with the commuters and tourists expressing their satisfaction on the much-needed roadway.
A team led by TAQAC experts of the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) carried out a detailed survey to assess commuter satisfaction with the roadway to spot “pain and delight areas” and to identify areas where improvement in service was required. However, the majority of the people of the areas have expressed satisfaction with their overall experience.
Locals expressed their satisfaction, saying that for decades the sprawling erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir had remained in the news for all the wrong reasons. However, due to the concerted efforts over the last few years, the developmental graph of the twin regions, including Jammu and Kashmir, has shown an upward trend—ushering a new dawn of development across the regions
Rashmi Choudhary, a school teacher in Suransar area, said that there were many bottlenecks which have been cleared by the concerned departments and many promising developmental projects have been taken up. She said that the World Bank-funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project has been able to complete the much-awaited road project from Sidra to Suransar, which has not only benefited the locals. Still, it has also generated a huge tourism potential for the local populace of the area.
“You name the sector, the social impact is there because of this beautiful road project,” said Rashmi Choudhary.
“Earlier there was something between a punch line, a roadblock, some strains of dirty politics which wasn’t able to make justice with the project allocation,” she said, adding “We thank the government for shifting their focus from cities to villages. We now request the Secretary of Tourism to come over for a special visit and explore the tourism potential of this area.”
An elderly man, Thodu Ram of Aithem village in Suransar area, said that it was so pleasing to see beautiful roads connecting their villages to the city nerve centre.
“This has eased our life. This has provided employment to scores of our men in the village. They take public transport from their village, go to the city and come back in the evening,” joyous Ram said.
“The government must now provide us with better transport facilities and also boost our tourism sector. We are highly satisfied with the work done by JKERA and their executing partners. They have really come up to our expectations,” he added.
Notably, in what could be seen as a major achievement by the Manoj Sinha-led administration on the development front, the World Bank has said that its Rs 1500 crore project in J&K has largely achieved its objective and, in some cases, surpassed the agreed targets. The Rs 1500 crore project funded by the World Bank was a non-starter during the PDP-BJP rule. It was bogged down by multiple hiccups before senior IAS officer, Syed Abid Rashid Shah was brought in as its head.
Pertinently, Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, had inaugurated Rs 16.70 Cr. Sidhra- Suransar road upgradation project completed by Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (JKERA)
The LG in his speech on the day of inauguration lauded the executing agency and the role of officials, saying that the Rs 16.70 Cr road project executed by JKERA was very vital as it provides road connectivity to the various pilgrimage and tourist destinations in and around the Jammu district.
Chief Executive Officer, JKERA, who is also Secretary Tourism, Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah, said that the vital road project will facilitate the socio-economic development of areas including Bajalta, ChakChilah, Badgah, Aithem and Suransar, benefitting around 5 lac souls in the region. “The road will give a boost to the tourism sector in Jammu and adjoining areas as it completes the pilgrimage, tourist circuit from Pumandal. Mansar, Devkand, connecting with Vaishno Devi shrine and Sudhmahadev in Reasi and Udhampur district,” he said. The CEO has commended his staff, project heads and all the officials and the line departments for working in close coordination and with utmost dedication.
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