Gopal Sharma
The much publicized Tawi Artificial Lake project worth Rs 70 crore in Jammu city is unlikely to be completed next year as the company engaged in the work has abandoned the work and not reported back despite several notices served by the State Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
Commenced in July 2010, this prestigious project concerning beautification of Jammu was conceived by the then Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Taj Mohiuddin. Initially, it was claimed that Tawi Lake would become reality within in two years but it could not see light of the day even after a long wait of seven years. The completion target of the lake was fixed as March 2013 and then June 2013 but it could not meet the target. Thereafter, the project has jumped at least half a dozen deadlines but it has not been completed till today. While the civil works claimed to have been almost completed by the State Irrigation Department, the Mechanical works on Nikki Tawi side having 20 sluice gates have yet to be executed. Even a pier and embankment at the middle portion of Tawi, damaged during floods last year, are lying unattended.
After coming to power by BJP in Jammu region and also at the Centre, it was expected that the work on this Jammu centric project will attain momentum but it did not happen. Instead of receiving momentum, the work was reduced to snail’s pace and later abandoned. Not only this, the work on diversion of at least 15 dirty nallahs of Jammu city and raising embankments along both the banks, has yet to be taken up by the concerned authorities.
This prestigious City Lake Project has already jumped several deadlines up to June 2014 and now December 2017 has been given the next date of completion but insiders in the PHE, I&FC Department said that Lake project is unlikely to be completed even by June 2018. The officials connected with the project claim that this project is unlikely to be completed even in next one year as UEED has yet to start work on diversion of ten dirty nallahs from old Jammu city side and five from left bank of the river including Gorkha Nagar, Bahu Fort, Rajiv Nagar and Narwal side.
The delay behind completion is also being projected by the Irrigation and Flood Control authorities in view paucity of funds and long spell of rains. Breaching of protection bund in river Tawi during flood in August last year was described as yet another excuse given by the agency officials. They said due to this reason, the work could not be executed on the project for several months.
A senior official connected with the project disclosed that all the gated structures of the Tawi lake are ready on both sides and hardly 5 % civil works are left. He disclosed that shortly the remaining civil works will be completed. Nearly 10-15 % mechanical works are also yet to be executed. He said on Baddi Tawi (Bhagwati Nagar) side, all the eleven gated structures have been completed while on Nikki Tawi side these gates are yet to be fitted. He said the commissioning of this prestigious lake project is unlikely even by December this year.
Referring to the other left out works the official said even after the completion, the pondage will not be created in the river as still nearly 15 dirty city nallahs with filth are directly flowing into the river from old city side including Panjtirthi, Jullaka Mohalla, Pir Mitha, Gujjar Nagar etc and these large drains will create filth and dirt prone lake giving foul smell, until these nallahs are diverted as planned under the project. Flood Control authorities launched a little work on raising embankments towards Ware House and hardly 25-30 % work has been done. Majority of this work is also going on snails pace.
While all the eleven gated-structures along Waddi Tawi (Bhagwati Nagar side) of the river have been completed, out of the total 20 such gated structures on Nikki Tawi (Beli Charana side), 18 are ready while remaining two need repair work as they were damaged in floods last year. The Department of Irrigation and Flood Control (J&K) is monitoring the entire work on the project, the construction of auto-mechanically operated gated-barrage having length of 370 mts and height of 4 mts with sluice gates across river Tawi, 900 meters down stream of the main Tawi bridge with RCC base, spill way, gang way guide bunds etc for creation of pondage up to Gujjar Nagar bridge, is being executed by Hyderabad based M/S GVR Infra Project Ltd company. This company abandoned the work before monsoon season last year.
It has been learnt that due to stoppage of flow of funds, the pace of work on the project was also affected. Due to non-availability of funds, the agency carried work at snails pace while it was earlier being executed on double shift basis. It said all the eleven gated structures on Baddi Tawi side, having total length of barrage nearly 130 mts, have been completed. The process of mechanical works which include, fitting of gates and its operation system with pulleys will have to be executed at Nikki Tawi only after two damaged piers are repaired. All the gates were fabricated at the site and these will be operated upon manually as well as automatically.
Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Jammu, Rajiv Gandotra said that nearly Rs 53 crore have been spent on this Rs 70 cr project so far. The Department has yet to receive Rs 18.75 crore mount from the Centre for the project. He disclosed that agency M/s GVR Infra Project Ltd has abandoned the work. “ We have served them several notices and now final legal notice has been served. They are facing some financial crunch. If they do not respond, we will go for re-tender with fresh pre-conditions. Deposits worth Rs 5 cores and Rs 3.5 crore Bank guarantee is lying with us. If the works started shortly, the remaining civil and mechanical works are expected to be completed within next 4-6 month,” he adde.
Gandotra further said that length of barrage on the Nikki Tawi side is more, about 240 mts. There are twenty such gates with dimensions of 10 mts width and 4 mts height each. All the gated structures have been completed. Total length of barrage/ lake will be 1540 mts, up to Gujjar Nagar bridge while the pondage of nearly 0.0011 Million Acre Feet (MAF) water will be created. In case of flood, all the gates will be opened and it will take three and half days to again create pondage up to 4 mts height,” he added.
He further disclosed that this Rs 70 crore project is coming up with Rs 25 crore Central assistance, Rs 25 crore is awarded by the 13th Finance Commission while rest, Rs 20 crore has been arranged from the State Planning Department. The work was started on July 22, 2010 and till date, funds to the tune of nearly Rs 53 crore have been spent on it. Out of the Rs 25 cr 13th FC share, more than half of the amount is pending. When this share is received from Centre, the progress will further improve.
Chief Engineer UEED, Naresh K Langeh disclosed that they have received Rs 27 crore for diversion of five Nallahs from the Centre which are located on left side of the river. He said that tender process has been started and when the tenders are finalized, the work on diversion of five nallahs of Jammu on Bahu Fort and Gorakh Nagar side will be started. He said this work may take at least two years. For ten old city nallahs, he said they will become irrelevant as majority of city drains and households pipes will be connected with the newly laid sewerage system in the city. They will flow to STP at Bhagwati Nagar. Most of the nallahs will turn dry in old city. The project for the remaining nallahs will be formulated according to the requirement thereafter, he maintained.
Mr Langeh said these nallahs would not be allowed to flow into the lake. They will go down the lake and meet river some where near Gole Gujral. He disclosed that atleast two years time is required for the completion of this task. The pondage will be created only after the nallahs are diverted safely.
Apart from this, Rs 32 crore are being spent on raising strong embankments along both sides the pondage (lake) and the work has been undertake by the Flood Control Department. Hardly 200 mt embankment on Ware House side has been raised while majority of the work is still pending. At least one year is expected to be taken to finish the job provided free flow of funds is ensured by the department, another official said.
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