The 3-kilometre-long New Hospital Road, a vital link to the District Hospital Ganderbal, is set for upgradation and expansion following its approval under NABARD.
Officials from the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department told Excelsior that the road project has recently been approved under NABARD-30 and that a detailed project report (DPR) is currently being formulated.
“It has been approved, and once the DPR is finalized, we will submit it for technical sanction. Work will begin thereafter,” said Hamid Iqbal, Executive Engineer, R&B.
He added that the work is expected to begin this year after the necessary approvals are secured, noting that the expansion of the road aims to address persistent traffic issues in the area.
“Due to the requirement for widening, we submitted the project under NABARD and secured its approval.
Increasing the road’s width will help ease traffic flow and reduce congestion,” he said.
Notably, the road has been in a dilapidated state for years despite serving as an important alternative link to the hospital, with the potential to significantly reduce both distance and travel time if upgraded.
Interestingly, previous attempts to improve the road remained incomplete due to land acquisition issues.
“We are looking into those issues as well. We will ensure the road is widened adequately so that it benefits the public,” officials said.
Last year as well, Media highlighted the importance of this alternative route for smooth patient transport. At that time, officials informed that estimates were being prepared.
According to locals, the current traffic situation along the highway causes delays and increases travel time, noting that the patients traveling to District Hospital Ganderbal-especially emergency cases or those referred to SKIMS Soura-face serious difficulties.
The road, which is currently an alternative, provides crucial access to the hospital near the S.P. Office, and helps bypass the traffic-congested stretch near Beehama on the main road.
Residents rue that it takes over an hour to travel from Nagbal to Ganderbal due to frequent traffic jams.
They believe that once upgraded, the road will significantly reduce travel time and facilitate smoother transport for patients across the district, especially those referred to SKIMS.