*2 local BJP MLAs warn to launch ‘hunger strike’
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, May 21: The work on the vital bridge worth Rs 206 crore over river Chenab in Khour-Pargwal area of Akhnoor Sub Division in district Jammu, said to be the longest bridge in Northern India, is being sabotaged as the concerned agency JKPCC under R&B Department has failed to finalise the contract even after the lapse of one year.
Highly placed sources in R&B told the Excelsior that this prestigious Jammu centric project is again facing rough weather at the hands of the people at the helm of affairs, despite the fact that entire funding is being made by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. For sabotaging this project, some people moved to the court on the advice of some ‘insiders’ but the court dismissed their plea ( on 23-3-2017) about two months back. Even after that, the financial bid could not be finalized till today.
Sources revealed that Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways sanctioned the 1680 mt long bridge project over Chenab worth Rs 206 crore on January 18, 2016. The work was authorised by the State R&B department to the JKPCC on April 16, 2016. As the Central Road Fund (CRF) guidelines, national e-tender was issued on 25-7-2016 and last date of submission of bid was October 26, 2016. The technical bid was opened on November 11, 2016. In between a writ petition was filed in the court by a local company after the tender process was completed. However, the High Court after listening both sides dismissed the petition on March 23, 2017.
The members of the Bid Committee including MD JKPCC and others, failed to finalise the contract even after court lifted the restrictions. In between the bid validity of 120 days as per e-NIT condition expired on February 22, 2017. Three main companies, who are contesting- M/s Gammon India Ltd Mumbai, M/s SP Singla Constructions Pvt Ltd Chandigarh and M/s Arvind Techno Engineers Pvt Ltd Delhi were requested for three months extension in the bid validity. They all have deposited bank guarantee worth over Rs 10 crores with the JKPCC.
Interestingly, the extended financial bid validity of the bridge project is going to be expired on May 23, 2017 (Tuesday), but the officials at the helm of affairs in JKPCC and R&B department are least bothered about the fate of this important bridge project which is strategically and Defence point of view very vital in Pargwal-Khour sector bordering Pakistan.
There is no binding on the construction agency after court gave the green nod but officers at the helm of affairs are just buying time and avoiding to open the financial bid for the reason best known to them. If the bid extension date is lapsed again, the agency would start the process of inviting tenders again and this exercise may consume at least seven to eight months more, the sources added.
Minister for R&B Department, Naeem Akhtar when contacted said that he was not well aware of the matter but maintained that this process should not take much time if the tenders have been received and technical bids are opened. Naeem said it should have been cleared as three national level big companies have come forward to take up the task. It is an important project. The Minister further said that he would speak to the Commissioner/ Secretary R&B, Rohit Kansal and concerned Managing Director of the JKPCC about the delay being caused.
A top officer in the JKPCC told on the condition of anonymity that due to court stay, some time was consumed in the finalization of tenders. A local construction agency ( M/s AK Constructions & Contractors Pvt Ltd) had gone to the court seeking directions that joint ventures should be allowed to participate in the bid but the High Court set aside the plea and dismissed the case.
Now, since the Bid Committee had not done complete technical evaluation process, the work was delayed. There was Darbar Move as well. He claimed that this process will be completed within one month and the works would be allotted to the firm offering lowest bid and fulfilling all the required guidelines. He further claimed that extended bid validity can also be extended again on mutual understanding with the firms participating in the bid. There is no hard and fast rule for it, he maintained.
Another senior officer in the R&B claimed that this bridge is considered as most vital and strategically important as per Defence point of view due to geographical location of Pargwal area having population of over 22,000 souls and presence of several defence installations there, yet this bridge did not attract the much attention of the State and the Central Governments since 2012.
During last four years, the sites of the bridge have been changed twice due to ill-planning by the people at the helm of affairs and now, third location near Indripattan in Jourian area of Akhnoor and Sajwal in Pargwal area, has been selected instead of Hamirpur Kona and another second location, about 3 km upstream the initial site. The funding period of NABARD also lapsed due to long delay and the State had to surrender these funds and then project was resent to the Union Government under Central Road Fund (CRF) by the new PDP-BJP Govt which sanctioned Rs 206 crore. Even in last two years of this new Government, no much progress has been witnessed on this important bridge project.
This 1680 mt span bridge over Chenab, directly connecting Pargwal area, which is surrounded by Pakistan from three sides and from other side locked by the mighty Chenab river, with a narrow road acting as life line along an old canal popularly known as Suyya No. 1 with Khour, will provide a big relief to the big population of this border belt after commissioning.
During Pakistani shelling/ firing , only one single road connecting Pargwal with Jammu-Akhnoor highway at Suyya No. I, serves as life line for the people. But some times this population of over 22,000 souls remained cut off during heavy shelling from Pakistani side as this only road is closer to border at several points and this bridge would provide them a vital outlet at the time of crisis. The bridge would also reduce the distance between Pargwal and Khour Tehsil/ Sub- Divisional headquarters from 55 kms to just 14-15 kms.
Earlier, this bridge was being constructed just near Khour town connecting Pargwal directly. But from there Line of Control is closer. The span was also hardly 900 meters from there but Defence authorities raised objections and then it was shifted to the location, about 3 kms upstream. It was earlier approved under NABARD but later shifted to CRF. The officer disclosed that tender worth Rs 175 crore has been floated and the rest of the amount will be spent on allied works including approach roads of 2500 mt and 300 mt length on both sides and raising concrete embankments on both the sides of the bridge. He said that the work on the bridge is expected to be started by one month and it will be completed within three years.
MLA Akhnoor, Rajiv Sharma and Krishan Lal MLA Khour claimed that if the contract was not allotted before the extended date of bid which is May 23. 2017, they both along with the people from Khour, Akhnoor and Pargwal will launch indefinite agitation. Rajiv said that he would sit on hunger strike along with his party workers. He said this bridge is now prestige point for both the local public representatives and they would expose the officers who are sabotaging this important bridge project. They will not end the agitation till these officials are punished by the Government.
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