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Despite passing of five decades, an ambitious project for widening of Sanat Nagar- Rangreth road is yet to take off.  With rapid urbanisation, the areas…

Despite passing of five decades, an ambitious project for widening of Sanat Nagar- Rangreth road is yet to take off. 

With rapid urbanisation, the areas along the road stretch have been developed into residential colonies witnessing massive flow of vehicular movement. The problem is compounded by heavy rush

of Army vehicles to JAKLI centre at Rangreth. 

The road is vital as it leads to Rangreth Industrial Estate which houses major industrial units of the Valley. However despite importance of the road link, the road widening project of Sanat

Nagar-Rangreth link has been put in cold storage for over five decades. The concerned authorities are passing buck on each other for inordinate delay in completion of the project. 

As per public works department official, the plan to undertake four-laning of the stretch was envisaged in late 70s’ to cater increasing traffic movement. However, the project never

materialized due to failure of officials to put up it in central funding project schemes.

“The proposal has not seen light of the day. In 70s’ and 80s’, the road from Barzulla Bhagat to Rangreth was used only by few vehicles of Army and SRTC buses and hardly any private and

public transport would ply on it. The breadth of the road has since then remained same rather shrunk due to encroachment of roadside at few places,’ he said.

The Sanat Nagar square on Bypass as per the locals has become most vulnerable intersection as a number of fatal accidents have taken place there during last few years due to “faulty road

engineering design”.

Officials in Roads and Building department informed that few years ago, the proposal to widen the Sanat Nagar stretch upto Rangreth was proposed for funding under Central Road Funds.

“However, the proposal was rejected by the union ministry,” said an official adding that “since then the government has not pursued the case as result of which, there is no proposal to widen

this road.