J-K: Long-awaited connectivity boost for Rajouri as ₹29 Crore road work under PMGSY starts

May 5, 2026

Rajouri: A major infrastructure project under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is underway in the border block Doongi of Rajouri district, bringing long-awaited relief to residents of remote areas.

The project involves the construction of a 13-kilometre road in Panchayat Challas, with an estimated cost of ₹29 crore.

The road is set to connect multiple border panchayats and will also link three key blocks — Doongi, Qila Darhal, and Nowshera, significantly improving connectivity in the region.

For decades, locals have depended on a 60-kilometre-long defence road via Peer Badasar to Rajouri, which includes seven army check gates.

Frequent security checks at these gates often caused delays and hardships for civilians. With the new PMGSY road, travel distance will be considerably reduced, ensuring smoother and quicker movement.

Residents say the project fulfils a long-pending demand dating back to independence. Due to a lack of proper road connectivity, people in these border areas were forced to walk 10 to 15 kilometres, making access to schools, healthcare, and markets extremely difficult.

Many villagers claim that lives were lost as patients could not reach hospitals in time, and the region also faced a high illiteracy rate.

The ongoing construction has brought a sense of happiness and hope among the people. Locals believe the road will boost development, enabling them to start small businesses, construct homes, and improve their livelihoods.

Expressing gratitude, residents thanked the government for taking this crucial step, stating that the project will play a transformative role in the overall development of the border region.