Jammu, Feb 12 (KNO): The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday said there is no proposal at present for construction of an additional flood spill channel in Budgam district.
Replying to an unstarred question in the Assembly tabled by MLA Chadoora Ali Mohammad Dar regarding flood threats in B K Pora area of Budgam, the government said certain areas are prone to flooding when the discharge of River Jhelum exceeds 40,000 cusecs, leading to overflow conditions on the left bank.
The government, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the existing Flood Spill Channel (FSC) is undergoing technical scrutiny, but no additional spill channel has been proposed. However, to address weak and vulnerable stretches, the left embankment of River Jhelum in B K Pora area has been strengthened at several locations under different flood protection programmes, it added.
The government said the restoration of Zoonipora breach on the left side of River Jhelum (RD 53 to 54 km) was completed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.2559 crore, while the construction of a toe wall along with stone pitching over 135 metres under PMDP Phase-II was completed for Rs 1 crore.
Similarly, restoration of the sloughed embankment near RD 53 km under UT Capex DMRRR was completed at a cost of Rs 15 lakh, while construction of a toe wall over 86 metres at Shalina near RD 56 km under PMDP Phase-II was completed at Rs 1.04 crore.
The government further said that construction of a 275-metre toe wall under UT Capex (MH:4711) at Zoonipora and Shalina has been tendered at an estimated cost of Rs 2 crore and is expected to be completed by May 2026—(KNO)