1 ( 51 )
2 Numerous branch roads have been constructed by the Civil Officers in
3 every district, partly from the Government Revenues and parfly from
4 Iocal funds, The aggregate distance of minor roads thus constructed
5 during the past two years amounts to 2,840 miles and the cost to about
6 Rupees 7,00,000.
7 83. On the whole not less than 3,520 miles of roads have been
8 constructed, more or less sufficiently, by the Depart,
9 ment Public Works and by district Officers, during
10 the two last years, which, with the 5,229 miles previously constructed, make
11 up the large aggregate of 8,749 miles. The nominal length in miles of
12 roads is indeed great, and as regards the designing and marking out
13 roads, there remains but little to be done. But as regards the com-
14 pletion of what has been projected or undertaken there is yet a vast
15 field of labor. Many of the roads are nothing more than temporary
16 substitutes for some regular roadway. It may be said that, with the
17 exception of the Grand Trunk line and the roads near stations, the
18 ‘Punjab roads generally have yet to be bridged. Some 1,500 bridges, of
19 sizes, now exist in these Territories, but many times that number, indeed
20 ‘several thousands of bridges, great and small, are yet required, which it
21 will take years to supply. Owing to the proximity to the hills, the.
22 number of rivers, streams and streamlets, there are probably few cham-
23 paign countries: where so many bridges are needed as the Punjab
24 Territories.
25 Aggregate length of
26 road. |
27 Part IJ.—RAILROADS. ©
28 84, The Northern or submontane portion of the Punjab will ulti-
29 , mately be traversed by an important section of
30 the Great North-Western Railroad, from Calcutta *
31 to Peshawur. It were superfluous to dilate upon this, the most impor-
32 tant line in the Indian Peninsula, It is sufficient to say that the
33 Punjab section will, in a Military and Political point of view, be of
34 more consequence than perhaps any other part of the Railway. Following
35 generally the line of the present Grand Trunk Road, it will bind
36 together the series of first-class Military stations held by the very flower
37 Railroad.