The Government has approved an additional Rs 1,691 crore for highway works by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand for 2020-21.

Of this, Rs 1,351.10 crore has been sanctioned to BRO for road works in Jammu & Kashmir, the road transport and highways ministry said in a communication to Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) Director General Lt Gen Harpal Singh.

A total of Rs 340 crore ceiling has been approved for Uttarakhand for national highways, according to the communication dated June 24.

In addition, it has also given nod for additional sanction of Rs 71 crore for highway works by the state's Public Works Department in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu,

Besides, it has also enhanced the total ceiling to Rs 1,955 crore for highways work for Nagaland under Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) from the existing Rs 1,081 crore.

“Competent authority has approved the additional sanction ceiling for NH(O) works for the year 2020-21 to states /UTs of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu for state PWDs and for state/ UT of Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand for BRO,” the communication said.

It said that the existing sanction for national highways (original) work for state PWDs was Rs 2,269 crore, which has been raised to Rs 2,340 crore. In addition, Rs 1,691 crore ceiling was approved for BRO, taking the additional ceiling of Rs 4,081 crore for national highways in these areas.

“For NH(O)-General projects for state govt/UTs, 20 per cent of the sanction ceiling has been proposed for cross drainage works. Sanction of damaged cross drainage work may be given topmost priority,” the communication said.

Widening of national highways (NHs) and their strengthening under the annual plan 2020-21 may be suitably finalised by project zones in consultation with additional DG/ DG (road development) and special secretary, it said.

 “Efforts may be made to award all the sanctioned works under spillover/ balance sanction ceiling and additional sanction ceiling already given and at least 50 per cent of sanctioned works under instant additional sanction ceiling,” it added.

 Earlier, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) enhanced the remuneration of its personnel working in tough terrains.

 NHIDCL, a fully-owned company of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is engaged in building, maintaining and upgrading national highways and strategic roads, including interconnecting roads in parts of the country which share  international boundaries with neighbouring countries.

 The roads are built in difficult terrain under inhospitable and  hostile weather conditions and other environmental factors.