Inter-State bridAvtar Bhat
KATHUA, Nov 3: Terming Kishtwar incident as part of a deep rooted conspiracy against the nationalist forces in the State, Union Minister in PMO with Independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that no leniency will be shown to terrorists who after facing the heat of security forces and police in Kashmir valley are trying to regroup in higher reaches of Jammu region.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme held at Keerian -Gandial near here during the inspection of construction work of Rs 158 crore Inter State Connectivity (ISC) 1210 metre length double lane pre stressed RCC bridge over river Ravi in the area, Dr Jitendra Singh said a proactive approach on the pattern of Kashmir valley will be adopted to flush out the terrorists from Kishtwar district also.
He said the killing of senior BJP leader and his brother is a cause of grave concern, which is the part of a deep rooted conspiracy against the nationalist forces in the area and is aimed at creating a communal divide in Kishtwar that saw complete peace after 2013 violence. But this will not be tolerated at any cost and no leniency will be shown to terrorists operating in Kishtwar or any other area in this hilly belt in Jammu region. He said the issue has been discussed by him with the State Government today also.
He said a thorough investigated will be held whether the killing was aimed at creating a communal divide in Kishtwar district which saw complete peace since 2013. Every angle will be investigated to unravel the facts about the incident. “It will also be ascertained whether the terrorists who are under pressure in Kashmir valley are fleeing to Kishtwar and other hilly belts of Jammu to open the second front”, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh, however, was all praise for people of Kishtwar for showing utmost restraint though they had a lot of resentment and anger over the killings. He said the patience of the people should not be tested any more and the killings need a thorough investigation to unravel the facts.
Assuring that all measures will be taken for rehabilitation of the families of Parihar brothers’, which lost their bread earners, Dr Jitendra Singh said he took up the issue with the State Government of providing a job to their next of kins and besides paying other compensation to them.
He said BJP as party and he as a MP are solidly behind the family and whatever will be possible the party will do to heal the wounds of the family.
Later during the meeting with officers of PWD and representatives of M/s S P Singla Construction Pvt Ltd which is constructing the Keerian -Gandial bridge over river Ravi, Dr Jitendra Singh was informed that 90 percent of the work on the bridge is complete and it will be inaugurated on December 15.
The Company representatives while giving inputs to the Minister said that they actually had to handover the bridge on March 9, next year but they will complete it three months ahead.
Dr Jitendra Singh on the spot gave instructions to the Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, Rohit Khajuria , PWD officers to frame the DPR for the remaining 4 km road from Gandial to Sunderchak across the Ravi and start work on that portion of road to link the bridge with National Highway via Punjab so that it can be an alternative Interstate Highway joining J&K with rest of the country.
The tendering cost of the bridge was Rs 158 crore but the allotment cost to the company is Rs 106.77 crore. The bridge has 27 spans of 45 metre each span and the road width is 10 metre.
The bridge was constructed under the supervision of PWD and its foundation was laid by Union Minister of Road Transport, Shipping and Highways, Nitin Gadkari along with Dr Jitendra Singh on September 10, 2014.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that he had made a promise with over two dozen villagers living in Keerian -Gandial area across river Ravi during election campaigning in 2014 that his first task after the election will be to construct an interstate bridge in the area as the people of these villages had to travel to Pathankot first to visit district Headquarter of Kathua.
He said previous Governments and public representatives have completely neglected the area and construction of this bridge in the area was in accordance with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s Mantra, ‘Sabka -Sath Sabka Vikas’ and not for any electoral gains.
He said Kathua district is first of its kind where game changing projects are under construction which included Seed Processing Plant, Biotech Park at Ghati, Medical College , Engineering College, Dream Land Park etc. He said the new concept of constructing Highway Haat will also be established in Kathua district and complimented the DC Kathua for allotting the land for the same. This Haat will be tourist destination where the visitors and pilgrims travelling to the State from other parts of the country will have stopover, he added.
MLA Kathua Rajiv Jasrotia, who was also present, demanded that Rs 28 crore which have been saved on the bridge be spent on other ancillary works of the road.
DC Kathua, Rohit Khajuria, BJP district president, Prem Nath Dogra, BJP Councilor, Naresh Sharma and other party leaders were present on the occasion.ge over Ravi to be inaugurated in Dec
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