JAMMU, Aug. 30 -- The Union minister of state, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Saturday, laid foundation stone of 110 road projects worth Rs.1,503 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in Jammu. Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving the highest priority to the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda parliamentary constituency over the last 12 years, particularly during the last five years, resulting in sustained expansion of road connectivity across some of the most remote and difficult hilly areas of the region. He was speaking at a meeting in Hiranagar area of Kathua district after laying the foundation stone of the projects, Batch-I of 2026-27, covering different parts of the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda-Kishtwar region. According to the project statement, the 110 roads together cover 598 km and carry a sanctioned cost of Rs.1,503.53 crore. The projects are spread across Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts and are expected to benefit 46,972 people. The Union minister said that the scale of the latest PMGSY intervention demonstrates the continued commitment of the government to taking all-weather road connectivity to the last mile and to villages and habitations located in difficult and remote hilly terrain. He said that the new roads would further transform rural mobility and contribute significantly to ease of living and ease of travel for people living in far-flung areas. He said that senior citizens and school-going children were among those who faced the greatest difficulties earlier, particularly during the rainy season when poor road conditions often made travel difficult and, at times, prevented people from reaching their workplaces, schools and other essential destinations. "The expansion of the road network is now helping remove this long-standing difficulty and bringing essential services and opportunities closer to rural communities," Singh said. Giving the district-wise breakup of the projects, the Union minister said that Kathua accounts for 24 road projects covering 128.925 km, with a sanctioned cost of approximately Rs.307.12 crore. Udhampur accounts for 44 projects covering 235.040 km, with a sanctioned cost of approximately Rs.554.90 crore. Deputy chief minister Jammu & Kashmir, Surinder Choudhary, in his address, said that J&K was firmly on the path of development and described it as a privilege to be part of the ongoing transformation....