The first trial run on the 17.5-km rail link from Qazigund in the Kashmir valley to Banihal in Jammu division, which goes through the 11-km-long Pir Panjal tunnel, was successfully held today.

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today gave nod to the construction of Srinagar and Jammu Ring Roads to decongest traffic and provide alternate communication for commuters taking care up to the year 2042.

Approving the prestigious and most required two road projects involving an expenditure of abut Rs. 3000 crores at a meeting of high level officers of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Jammu and Kashmir State R&B Department here, the Chief Minister directed the NHAI, executing agency for the projects, to formulate the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and put up the proposals to the R&B Department for finalization.

NBCC sub-contractors desert work at many places

JAMMU: While significant progress has been made in the execution of sewerage works in North-Western part of the Jammu city, numerous problems are being encountered by the agency responsible for carrying out such works in the Eastern part and this would have adverse impact on the entire ambitious project. In the prevailing scenario, there seems to be no end to the multiple problems being faced by the common masses.

PIL regarding pollution generated by polythene bags

JAMMU: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding pollution being generated by polythene bags, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Virender Singh and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar today directed Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation and Chairman Pollution Control Board to appear in person on the next date of hearing.

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has given go ahead to the establishment of two Bio-medical Waste Management Projects one each at Jammu and Srinagar with the directions for setting up of facilities of incinerators at Leh, Kargil, Doda and Poonch.

Approving the proposal involving on expenditure of about Rs 7.40 crore for the creation of this facility to cater to the bio-medical waste generated in various Government and private hospitals in the State, the Chief Minister said that the identification of feasible sites for establishment of Bio-medical Waste Projects should be time-lined to start the construction work.

JAMMU: With the Asian Development Bank funding worth Rs 360 crore, the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) has augmented nearly 24 million gallons of water per day (MGD) for Jammu city by constructing 54 tube wells and raising 59 over head tanks.

Not only this, ERA has also provided big relief to the people of the winter capital city by installing 44 high capacity pumping equipment at 13 critical pumping stations for better pumping and 38 dedicated feeders at various PHE pumping stations for assured water supply.

Regular auditing, monitoring of radiations stressed

JAMMU: Taking serious note of the general complaints that Electro-Magnetic Radiations from the cell-phone towers have been leaving adverse impact on wildlife especially birds and bees, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has issued detailed advisory containing the actions to be undertaken by various agencies in order to avoid the impacts of radiations on such species.

City facing 3 MGL water shortage per day

JAMMU: A mega Rs 1008 crore water supply project is being prepared to cater to the need of drinking water by lifting it from river Chenab near Akhnoor for the Greater Jammu while the city is still facing a shortage of nearly 3 MGL (30 lakh gallons) of water per day. Authoritative sources told Excelsior that the State Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has already given a nod to the project which will be completed in two phases. The project has been designed to cater to the need of water supply for the Greater Jammu for the next 30 years. The river Tawi has been found inadequate to meet the demand of water supply for over 13 lakh souls or more in next one decade.

The Tawi, the river that gives Jammu its identity, is today a channel to dispose of human waste, and little else.