Jammu, Aug 29: Union Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh on Saturday, while asserting that better road connectivity in remote, challenging hilly terrains had a crucial security dimension, invited the Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary to meet the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to sort out issues related to Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) for road construction in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The connectivity in the difficult hilly areas also carries an important security dimension. Some of the remote and challenging terrains have in the past posed difficulties from the security perspective and have also been vulnerable to movement by terrorists. Improved road connectivity will facilitate easier and faster movement of security forces into such areas and strengthen the implementation of anti-militancy and counter-terror operations, while simultaneously bringing development closer to the people living there,” he stated.
Singh, who is also the Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences besides being MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, was addressing the media after laying the foundation stone of 110 road projects under PMGSY-IV, batch-I of 2026-27, covering different parts of the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda-Kishtwar sub-region. J&K Deputy Chief Minister accompanied him during the function and the media interaction.
“Deputy Chief Minister said that he, habitually, did not mince words in sharing grouses or complaints. But let me tell him that their complaints are always welcome as the act (complaint) is an endorsement of their belief in our capability. Grievances are addressed to only those who, the persons believe, can redress them. It simply means only that they are convinced – we are performing and we’re able to deliver hence I look forward to listen to all their (J&K government’s) complaints,” he said, reciting a couplet of Ghalib.
He also invited the Deputy Chief Minister, who smilingly appreciated the assertion of Singh to come to the union capital to meet the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Nitin Gadkari to discuss issues related to Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) for road construction in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Come to Delhi, we will together meet Gadkariji, who has always been forthcoming to address our issues. This central government is responsive to our problems. We will talk about our grievances and seek redress,” he addressed the Deputy Chief Minister, who gleefully accepted the suggestion.
Singh, while narrating an incident about ex MLA Dina Nath, also asserted that all (PMGSY) roads were being approved on the recommendations of concerned MLAs and not the MP.
“We have started this process and we will continue it in future as well in best of democratic spirits,” he said.
The Union Minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving the highest priority to the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Parliamentary constituency over the last 12 years, resulting in sustained expansion of road connectivity across some of the most remote and difficult hilly areas of the region.
He said that Udhampur consistently figured among the country’s top three districts in terms of PMGSY road projects, reflecting the continued priority accorded to rural connectivity in the constituency.
As per the project statement, the 110 roads together cover 598.455 km and carry a sanctioned cost of Rs 1,503.53 crore.
The projects are spread across Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts and are expected to benefit 46,972 people.
The Union Minister said that the scale of the latest PMGSY intervention demonstrates the continued commitment of the government to taking all-weather road connectivity to the last mile and to villages and habitations located in difficult and remote hilly terrain.
He said that the new roads would further transform rural mobility and contribute significantly to ease of living and ease of travel for people living in far-flung areas.
Singh said that the sustained expansion of PMGSY road connectivity was changing the landscape of rural mobility in the hilly areas, taking all-weather connectivity to villages and habitations that were earlier difficult to access.
He said that the road network being created under PMGSY was directly contributing to ease of living and ease of travel, while opening up new opportunities for people living in the remotest parts of the constituency.
The Union Minister said that senior citizens and school-going children were among those who faced the greatest difficulties earlier, particularly during the rainy season when poor road conditions often made travel difficult and, at times, prevented people from reaching their workplaces, schools and other essential destinations.
“The expansion of the road network is now helping remove this long-standing difficulty and bringing essential services and opportunities closer to rural communities,” he said.
Singh said that women in the remotest villages were also experiencing the benefits of the new road connectivity as better roads provided easier access to schools, healthcare, markets, workplaces and other essential facilities.
The expansion of the road network into previously difficult-to-reach villages, he said, was creating a new mobility network for women and families living in the hilly terrain, with direct benefits for their everyday lives.
Giving the district-wise breakup of the projects, Singh said that Kathua accounted for 24 road projects covering 128.925 km, with a sanctioned cost of approximately Rs 307.12 crore.
Udhampur accounts for 44 projects covering 235.040 km, with a sanctioned cost of approximately Rs 554.90 crore.
Ramban has 13 projects covering 60.360 km, with a sanctioned cost of approximately Rs 154.97 crore, while Doda accounts for 13 projects covering 90.180 km, with a sanctioned cost of approximately Rs 260.66 crore.
Kishtwar has 16 projects covering 83.950 km, with a sanctioned cost of approximately Rs 224.88 crore.
A notable feature of the projects is the incorporation of waste plastics in road construction in a large number of the works.
The project statement specifically records the use of waste plastics across several road packages, combining the objective of strengthening rural connectivity with more sustainable road construction practices.
Singh said that the sustained expansion of PMGSY road connectivity in the constituency reflected the government’s continued focus on ensuring that the benefits of development reach the last mile and the remotest habitation.
He said that the latest package of projects would further strengthen the road network across the Parliamentary constituency and adjoining hilly areas.
In May this year, he had also thanked Prime Minister Modi for according the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda constituency around 43 percent of the total PMGSY allocation for Jammu and Kashmir, with Rs 1524 crore earmarked against J&K’s Rs 3566 crore allocation.
He said that the sustained focus on rural roads had become particularly meaningful in a constituency where a large number of villages were located across steep, remote and geographically difficult terrain. Better roads were not only reducing travel time and difficulties but were also strengthening access to education, healthcare, markets, employment and other essential services.
The Union Minister said that the transformation in connectivity over the past decade demonstrated how infrastructure could become an instrument of social and economic empowerment, particularly for communities living in far-flung areas.
With every new road reaching another remote habitation, the distance between these communities and the mainstream of development was being reduced.
Singh said that the government’s focus would continue to be on strengthening last-mile connectivity, ensuring that difficult geography did not become a barrier to development, mobility or access to opportunities.
He said that the expanding PMGSY network would continue to serve both the developmental needs of the people and the strategic requirements of the region.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, in his address, said that J&K was firmly on the path of development and described it as a privilege to be part of the ongoing transformation.
He said that the concerns and issues raised by the people would be addressed sufficiently and assured that the government remained committed to ensuring that development reaches every part of the Union Territory.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the contractors engaged in the execution of the road projects were required to perform their work as per prescribed standards and made it clear that there would be no compromise on the quality of construction.
He said that the bidding and tendering processes were being undertaken in accordance with high standards and that strict action would be taken against any shortcomings in the execution of works.
Among the MLAs present on the occasion were Rajiv Jasrotia, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Sajad Shaheen, Sunil Bharadwaj, Arjun Singh Raju, Pyare Lal Sharma, Ranbir Singh Pathania, Darshan Kumar, and Satish Kumar Sharma.
The legislators raised various issues and concerns relating to their respective areas, particularly those concerning road connectivity and development.
Singh and the Deputy Chief Minister assured the legislators that the issues and concerns raised by them would be taken up for swift addressal and that necessary steps would be taken to expedite development works and improve connectivity in the concerned areas.
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