Work resumed on Bhaderwah Chamba inter-state Road after 20 years

Bhaderwah: The Bhaderwah-Chamba road project has been sanctioned under Inter-State Connectivity program at a cost of Rs. 73.33 crores.
The total length of road is 145 Km and the road upto 22Km has been opened to traffic. This road was motor able for vehicles up to 1986, but due to the militancy the road has been abandoned.
Construction and widening of the 42-km-long Bhaderwah- Chamba road which had been hanging fire for the past three years has started and this will facilitate connectivity between this part of the state and Himachal Pradesh for the promotion of tourism.
"We have been dreaming since our childhood that this project will be completed one day and will further improve the economic condition of Bhaderwah and will connect Bhaderwah to rest of the country and will open the road for tourism in the state," said Jawed Ahmed
The upgradation and augmentation of Bhaderwah-Chamba project is alternate road connectivity, which will connect India with Kashmir Valley.
The completion of the project will certainly help in giving a fillip to tourism, trade and people to people contact. There by strengthening the local economy. It will improve the primitive culture, lifestyle and tradition of the mountainous valley Bhaderwah. It will also increase the potential of pilgrim tourism of the Bhaderwah which is known for Machail Yatra, Mani Mahesh Yatra etc.
The road length from Bhaderwah to Chamba is total 50 kilometers whereas first seven and a half kilometer is under GREFF and from Naltha bridge on wards it the R&B departmentn who is entrusted with the execution work. After the global tenders were floated MGCPL has obtained the contract of execution and the company has to complete the road by 2013.
Imtiaz-ur Rehman said: "Jammu and Kashmir Government has resumed work of widening of this road and reopening of this road is a major achievement for us. Our culture and climate resembles that of Himachal Pradesh and we feel connected to the state."
Completion of Bhaderwah Chambha road will help in diverting the tourists to different small tourist destinations in Bhaderwah and adjoining areas. The local made products and other items will get huge exposure in other parts of the country. It will strengthen the employment opportunities in the region.
"The work on this project is going on with full pace and you will see that the whole machinery is installed there. It has the potential to complete the width of Four Kms in one month. We have acquired the land for the width of sixty feet out of which thirty three feet width will be the actual road the mechanized road." Said Farooq Khan DC Doda. The project will exploit the potential of Bhaderwah as transition between Kashmir valley and Himachal Pradesh thereby increasing the inflow of tourists in the state and escalating the economy of the state. By Taheer Nadeem Khan (Courtesy: ANI)