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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 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.