Farooq Ahmad Lone , Chief Executive Officer J&KERA today conducted the comprehensive site visit of Jehangir chowk –Rambagh Expressway corridor to review the progress of the coveted project.

During the site visit of Amar Singh College- Barzulla Bridge sector of the project Chief Executive Officer. JKERA was informed by Mir Mohammad Iqbal, Project Manager, JKERA (Transport) that since last two weeks laying of 5 remaining slabs in this sector including two solid slabs of 220 mm thickness have been completed and presently work on other allied components which include construction of two ramps one each at Amar singh college crossing and near Barzulla bridge , stressing of solid slabs, laying of cables, laying of crash barriers, erecting of view cutters and erection of electric poles for illumination of the corridor and joining of expansion joints etc is also underway in full swing.

CEO ERA was informed that work on most of the components in Amar Singh College—Abinandhan home sector have been completed while as further impetus is being given for pending works in Rambagh-bridge- Barzulla bridge section.It was also informed that as on date 70%-75% progress has been achieved on the project as a whole. CEO ERA directed all concerned to ensure that work on 1st phase of the coveted project is completed within the targeted date.

CEO appreciated the efforts being made by the engineering staff of ERA, consultants and particularly that of Parvaiz Maqbool Fazli , Team leader DSC (Design and Supervision consultants) as well of Simplex Infrastructure Limited for making concerted efforts in accelerating the progress of work on the project particularly during last two months.

J&KERA is making all out efforts to ensure the completion of 1st phase of Jehangir chowk-Rambagh expressway corridor from Amar Singh college crossing to Barzulla bridge operational by the targeted date. This was stated to Farooq Ahmad Lone, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA who today inspected the progress of work on the prestigious project.

Satish Razdan, Director Kashmir JKERA informed CEO ERA that work on the project is underway round the clock and 70% progress has been achieved on the project as whole . He further said that work on Amar Singh College –Barzulla bridge section of the expressway has been given further impetus by mobilization of additional workforce and heavy machinery in the sector. Razdan said that work on laying of superstructure component in the sector is almost complete with just 5 slabs remaining to be laid in coming days while as work on allied components like laying of cable for lighting, laying of crash barriers , erecting of view cutters etc is also underway.

CEO ERA appreciated the efforts being made by field staff of ERA, consultants and workforce who are working round the clock for timely completion of the coveted project.

Pertinent to mention here that workforce working on the project that comprise mostly of skilled personnel from outside the state are braving the sub-zero temperatures and are working round the clock on site to ensure completion of 1st phase by the targeted date.

Besides Satish Razdan , Director Kashmir, JKERA , Parvaiz Maqbool Fazli, Team Leader, DSC and other staff members of JKERA and consultants accompanied CEO, JKERA during his visit.

Farooq Ahmad Lone , Chief Executive Officer, JKERA today reviewed the progress of drainage and water supply projects being executed by JKERA under its ongoing JKUSDIP (Jammu Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme) funded by Asian Development Bank.

Satish Razdan, Director, Kashmir JKERA informed that as on date 90% progress has been achieved on Rs 155 crore Rawalpora-Chanapora mega storm water drainage scheme while as 60% progress has been achieved on the construction of Rs 45.9 crore mega storm water drainage scheme which is being executed along the National highway byepass near Athwajan. It was also given out that 75% progress has been achieved on the up gradation and upliftment of existing drainage pumping stations on right and left bank of river jhelum in Srinagar city which were badly damaged in floods of 2014. It was further informed that under the water supply component of JKUSDIP 80% progress has been achieved on Rs 43 crore Laying of Raw water pipeline from higher reaches of Doodhganga to Kralpora

CEO, JKERA directed officers present in the meeting to strictly comply with the quality parameters and also directed all concerned to ensure completion of all drainage schemes by March, 2018 and also directed that clause 7.6 of contract agreement be invoked in case of non-performing contractors which provides for completion of pending work at the cost and risk of non-performing contractors.

Meeting was also attended by Mir Iqbal , Project Manager, Transport, JKERA, Mohammad Maqbool Wani, Project Manager, Urban, JKERA, Zulfqar Hussain Beigh, Deputy Project manager, (Urban), Parvaiz Fazli, Team Leader DSC (Design and Supervision consultants)

Farooq Ahmad Lone assumed the charge of the office of Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA here today. He has taken over the charge of Chief Executive Officer from Rohit Kansal Principal Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister/ Planning Monitoring and Development Department who was holding the additional charge of the CEO, ERA.

Farooq Lone a senior bureaucrat has already held several important senior positions in the state administration and presently also holds the charge of Chief Executive Officer Special purpose vehicle for Srinagar city for implementation of Smart city. While assuming the charge of Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA, Farooq Ahmad Lone was accorded a warm welcome by Officers and other staff of JKERA .Later he chaired a meeting to review the progress of projects being executed by J&K ERA.

Work on the Rs 350 crore Jehangir chowk –Rambagh Expressway corridor which is first of its kind in the Kashmir division is underway in full swing. So far Rs 175 crores have been spent by J&K ERA (Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency ) on the construction of the project which is being undertaken by J&KERA under its ongoing JKUSDIP ( Jammu and Kashmir urban sector development investment programme) funded by Asian Development Bank. Work on 2.5 km long four lane expressway corridor which passess through the Jehangir Chowk –Rambagh portion of the busiest road in the Srinagar city i.e Indira Gandhi –Airport road.

Work on the project is being undertaken in double shift and as on date 65% progress has been achieved on the project as a whole. The physical progress achieved under different components of the coveted project are : 88% on laying of piles, 80% on laying of pile caps,70 % on laying of pier caps, 65% on casting of girders , 50% on erection of girders.

Once completed the project will play a key role in decongestion of traffic on one of the major arterial roads of the Srinagar city leading to the Srinagar international airport and lessen the travel time by 25-30 minutes on the road stretch. Another major benefits of the project will be the saving on account of fuel which has been calculated to be Rs 23.25 crores per year since it would remove the problem of jamming of vehicles by providing the smooth flow of traffic on the road stretch thus also reduce the levels of air pollution in the area drastically.

All Efforts are being made by J&KERA to commission the project as a whole by the end of 2017.

Jenab Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari Hon’ble Minister for Education who is also MLA Amirakadal last night conducted the late night surprise inspection of developmental works being executed by J&K ERA in city centre. Works inspected included the Construction of Grade separator near TRC – Radio Kashmir crossing and Construction of Expressway corridor from Jehangir Chowk to Rambagh flyover were work was underway in double shift.

Shri Vinod Sharma , Chief Executive Officer , J&KERA informed that so far 45-50% progress has been achieved on the Construction of Grade Seperator near Radio Kashmir crossing and work is underway in double shift to ensure early completion of the project. In order to ensure minimal hindrance to traffic movement on the road Hon’ble minister directed JKERA to start barricading for laying of pier P1 by 29th July and must ensure its completion by 12th , August, 2017 . He also directed that all efforts be made to ensure the commissioning of project by forthcoming death anniversary of jenab Mufti Muhammad Syed late Chief Minister of J&K state.

Later in the night Bukhari also inspected progress of work on construction of Rs 339 crore Expressway Corridor from Jehangir Chowk to Rambagh were work was also in full swing during the late night. He was informed by CEO ERA that 62%- 67% progress has been achieved on the project and till date Rs 175.79 crores have been spent on the 2.5 Km long prestigious infrastructure project in the Srinagar centre. He expressed satisfaction with the progress of work on the coveted project and directed J&KERA to ensure that the project is commissioned in full by Dec, 2017.

Shri Satish Razdan, Director ERA Kashmir, Shri Mohammad Iqbal Mir Project Manager (T) JKERA Kashmir and Shri Parveez Fazili Team Leader of Design and Supervision consultants for JKERA and other officers of ERA accompanied Hon’ble Minister during the site visit

Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, Hon’ble Chief Minister of J&K state today inaugurated Rs 27.15 crores semi mechanized car parking facility in Srinagar. The work on the sub-project has been completed by Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (J&K ERA) under its ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme (JKUSDIP) funded by (ADB) Asian Development Bank

Jenab Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Hon’ble Minister of Education , Ms. Asiea Naqash , Hon’ble Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Social welfare , Health and Medical education, Jenab Noor Muhammad Sheikh , MLA Batmaloo,Ms. Anjum Fazili, Hon’ble MLA, Jenab Khursheed Aalam Hon’ble MLC were also present on the occasion.

The facility was inaugurated by Chief Minister by pressing of an automatic lever. Chief Executive Officer J&KERA, Vinod Sharma briefed the Chief Minister about features of the project. He said Rs 27.15 crore car parking project which is first of its kind in the state includes the construction of multilevel mechanized semi automatic car parking facility which will accommodate 288 light motor vehicles and provide much needed parking facility in one of busiest commercial places in summer capital . He further said that the facility comprises of 4 bays with each having parking space for 72 light motor vehicles. The facility is spread over an area of 1545 sqm which also includes three storeyed commercial complex comprising of office space and public toilet.

The car parking facility will have entry from Maulana Azad road and exit from exchange road will provide easy and safe parking for vehicle owners who will have to just place their vehicle over the automated pellet and vehicle will be automatically placed in the available vacant parking slot and similarly will be retrived back from the slot and placed at the automated pellet with whole process taking less than 2 to 2.5 minutes. The process will be undertaken with the help of imported HID (Human Interface Device) called PLC (Programmed Logic Control Unit) which will be operated by trained engineers and technicians of M/S Simplex engineers private limited who will operate the parking facility for the period of three years as per provisions of the contract and will simultaneously train and build capacities of personnel from SDA (Srinagar Development Authority) which will operate the facility after expiry of operation and maintenance period with the contractor.

Baseer Ahmad Khan , Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Inspector General Of Police (Traffic ) Jagjit Kumar , Vinod Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA, Farooq Ahmad Lone , District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, Thaseen Mustafa, V.C Srinagar Development Authority , Shri Satish Razdan , Director, JKERA, Kashmir, and other senior officers of Police and Divisional administration were also present on the occasion.

Hon’ble Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti inaugurated Bikram Chowk to Women College Gandhi Nagar Flyover at Jammu. 1.3 km long flyover starting from Bikram Chowk to Green Belt Gandhi Nagar executed under Asian Development Bank funded project, JKUSDIP. The cost of the project is INR 77 crores. It will give a lot of relief to traffic plying on Bikram Chowk Satwari road. The flyover is built at the cost of Rs.77.54 crores.

Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Kumar Singh, Speaker Legislative Assembly, Kavinder Gupta, Minister of forests, Choudhary Lal Singh, Member Parliament, Jugal Kishore Sharma, MLA, Rajesh Gupta, Senior Officer of Divisional administration and ERA were present on the occasion.

Work on first semi automatic multilevel car parking facility in the state which is being constructed in the erstwhile KMDA at Lalchowk, Srinagar is nearing completion and is expected to be completed soon and shall be operational after the test trials which are underway at present. This hi-tech parking facility in city centre is being constructed by JKERA under its ongoing JKUSDIP (Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme) funded by Asian Development Bank.

Rs 27.15 crore project includes the multilevel (5- levels) puzzle type mechanized semi automatic car parking facility which will accommodate 288 light motor vehicles and provide much needed parking facility in one of busiest commercial places in summer capital. The facility comprises of 4 bays in 5 levels with each having parking space for 72 light motor vehicles. The facility is spread over an area of 1545 sqm which also includes three storeyed commercial complex comprising of office space and public toilet.

The parking facility with entry from Maulana Azad road and exit from exchange road will provide easy and safe parking for vehicle owners who will have to just place their vehicle over the automated pellet and vehicle will be automatically placed in the available vacant parking slot and similarly will be retrieved back from the slot and placed at the automated pellet with whole process taking 2 to 2.5 minutes. The process will be undertaken with the help of imported HID (Human Interface Device) called PLC (Programmed Logic Control Unit) which will be operated by trained engineers and technicians of M/S Simplex engineers private limited who will operate the parking facility for the period of three years as per provisions of the contract and will simultaneously train and build capacities of personnel from SDA (Srinagar Development Authority) who will operate the facility after expiry of operation and maintenance period with the contractor

Workshop on latest pipe network technologies was organized by J&KERA here today. During the workshop experts from M/S Hitachi India Private made a detailed presentation on the latest Pipe Network Management System. Experts from the M/S Hitachi explained in detail about the latest simulated techniques which may be utilized for managing the efficient supply of water with requisite pressure.

This system can be used effectively to create, edit and search pipeline data, search affected area by suspension simulation, display current water distribution status, control pumps based on water demand. It was explained that the adoption of these simulated technologies will drastically reduce the quantity of NRW (Non-Revenue Water) to permissible limits, help field staff of PHED to timely detect and respond to leakage problems in minimum possible time and increase the efficiency of system to great extent.

BesidesVinod Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, ERA workshop was attended by Ravinder Gupta, Director, ERA, Chief Engineer PHED, Sushil Aima, Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control, Rajeev Gandotra, Chief Engineer UEED, Naresh Langeh, Chief Engineer Ravi-Tawi and Design Directorate, H C Jerath, Superintending Engineer, ERA, Jammu, R K Gupta, Superintending Engineer, ERA, Kashmir, K Gupta, Superintending Engineer PHE, Gagan Jyoti, T.O. to CE PHE, Sarvan Singh and other staff of ERA and line departments. M/S Hitachi private limited was represented by Ajay Mahajan (MD) & Mahesh Katare (DGM).