AJK govt approves 33 road projects worth over Rs16bn.

MUZAFFARABAD -- The Cabinet Development Committee (CDC) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has approved 33 projects in the communications and works (C and W) sector worth Rs16.32 billion.

A meeting presided over by Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas here reviewed the projects of 620 kilometres long roads by the C and W Department under the 'Kashmir Development Package,' according to an official handout.

Of these roads, 220km were approved for the southern districts of Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur and 400km for the northern districts of Muzaffarabad, Neelum valley, Jhelum valley, Bagh, Haveli, Poonch and Sudhnoti.

In addition, the meeting approved construction/reconditioning of 30-km-long roads in constituencies LA-3 and LA-4 of district Mirpur and 18-km-long road from Chattar Klass to Danna in district Muzaffarabad.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister stressed the need for timely completion of the projects 'without an iota of compromise on standard and quality of the arteries.'

Stability of land as well as plantation of trees on either side of roads should be ensured to prevent landslides, he directed, adding roads should be designed in the best possible manner and the tourism department should also be taken on board in this regard so that the construction of new arteries could provide an easy access to the tourist resorts.

The prime minister said weighing scales should also be installed on all main highways so that overloaded vehicles did not damage them.

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