Sanat Nagar flyover thrown open for vehicular movement

Srinagar, Dec 2: The Government on Tuesday opened the long-awaited Sanat Nagar flyover for traffic movement following “urgent directions” from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, top officials said.

A senior official from the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that the decision came after repeated public complaints over traffic jams and commuter distress in the area. He said the structure is ready for traffic movement, while minor finishing works will continue.

The Sanat Nagar flyover, a key link on the Srinagar Airport Road and part of the city’s broader decongestion plan, is expected to ease vehicular pressure and streamline traffic flow towards Hyderpora and Rambagh.

Sanat Nagar flyover along the Srinagar expressway bypass on National Highway 44 (NH44) encountered a major bottleneck in the shape of critical power infrastructure with a crucial 132 KV power line positioned directly over the under-construction flyover. The shifting of HT lines caused a delay in the completion of the flyover.

The project is part of a broader initiative by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), which proposed constructing three short-distance flyovers along NH44 back in 2020 to enhance traffic flow at crucial intersections, including Bemina, Sanat Nagar, and Nowgam.

While the flyovers at Nowgam and Bemina intersections were completed and opened to traffic earlier last year, the Sanat Nagar flyover has faced considerable delays.