Avinash Azad
Amid mounting public concern over delays in major road projects in the Pir Panjal region, the government on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that the Bufliaz–Surankote Road up to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) is likely to be completed by July 31, 2026, nearly five years after its original appointment date.
Responding to a question raised by MLA Surankote, Ch. Mohammad Akram, during the ongoing winter session in Srinagar, the government said that the road is part of the Rajouri–Thanamandi–Surankote Road Project being executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode.
According to the official reply, the project—undertaken under Project Sampark—involves upgrading the existing road from Km 3.900 to Km 56.951 (design length 55.520 km) from IW/CI-9 specifications to NHD standards in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. “The work is being executed under CA No. CE(P)SPK/01/EPC/2020-21 for an amount of ₹284.22 crore. The project’s appointed date was March 2021,” the government stated.
It further clarified that the JNV School intersection falls under the Surankote Bypass, which is a greenfield alignment, but payment for land acquisition remains pending due to the delay in approval of the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE).
While the official Probable Date of Completion (PDC) was earlier set as February 28, 2026, the government admitted that “considering site hindrances and recent monsoon floods, a realistic PDC would be July 31, 2026.”
The delay has triggered frustration among residents of Surankote and adjoining areas who have long complained about the deteriorating road conditions, frequent landslides, and slow pace of work despite the strategic importance of the Rajouri–Surankote axis for civilian and defence connectivity.
Locals say that the prolonged construction period has not only affected daily commuters but also disrupted access to the JNV School and nearby villages, particularly during monsoon months when the stretch turns nearly impassable. “It’s been years of promises and extensions. The people of Surankote deserve better,” said a local trader, reflecting growing public anger over the project’s slow progress.
The government’s admission comes amid broader concerns over delayed infrastructure projects across Jammu and Kashmir, many of which have faced procedural bottlenecks, land acquisition disputes, and repeated cost escalations.
