Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 25: The flyovers and the road widening seems to be no priority of the Government in the ‘City of Temples’ here , which has virtually been converted into the ‘City of traffic jams.
Though some improvement in the regulation of traffic has been witnessed in Jammu and Srinagar cities with the coming of new IG Traffic, yet no new flyover, road widening project or an exercise of creation of alternate roads have been witnessed in Jammu city during last five years. Two flyover projects on busy Jewel Chowk- Canal Road and BC Road-Rehari Chungi–Amphalla Roads, which were proposed and prepared during the Ghulam Nabi Azad led Govt in 2007-08, are still no where in sight.
This fact is known to all here that the Flyover Project worth Rs 30 crore which was approved and sanctioned by the State Government on B C Road during 2007, connecting Shakuntla Crossing with Rehari Chungi and Amphalla near Patrol Pump, easing traffic load on this bottle neck and also on New Plot- Janipur- High Court Road, was dropped by next Government merely on the ground that State declined to bear the cost of land compensation to the people whose land was to be acquired for the project. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) had agreed for the funding of this project, but due to attitude of neglect and discriminatory attitude towards people of Jammu, the project of much importance was allowed to be dropped even after the long wait of nearly six years. But no new efforts were utilized by the BJP-PDP Govt to revive this project and rope in some new funding agency.
Not only the NC-Congress coalition Government, the Jammu based leaders/ legislators and even the Cabinet Ministers in the two previous Governments from Jammu region are the equal culprits in the eyes of the people of Jammu, as they failed to play positive role and wage a struggle for getting these projects cleared for Jammu. Rather, they remained mute spectators and allowed the project to be dropped. And the ‘next team’, did not take any pains for the revival.
Sources in R&B Department and ERA disclosed that BC Road-Shakuntla Crossing-Rehari Chungi-Amphalla Flyover and Jewel Chowk-Canal Road projects were prepared and forwarded to ADB for the funding, under Trench-I of Loan -II Sector of the JKUSDIP Scheme. While Rs 30 crore project for BC Road up to Amphalla was sanctioned in 2007 by the ADB, the other one could not be cleared as some technical issues were involved.
For BC Road -Rehari Chungi- Amphalla Flyover Project, a compensation amount of Rs 35 crore was prepared and nearly 130 structures had to be fully or partially removed to acquire nearly 18 meter land including 9 meters each on both sides. The State Government had to pay the compensation part of the project and it was reluctant to pay the same. For the six long years, the Government failed to act and take a decision on the execution of project and ultimately, the ADB dropped the same in July 2013. Insiders in the department also alleged that this project of much public importance also fell victim to the political conspiracy and some people played role to derail the project.
Director ERA, Abdul Majid Shabnam when contacted said that this project worth Rs 30 crore from Shakuntla Crossing to Rehari Chowk and Amphalla was dropped by ADB as the required land could not be made available for the project in time and moreover, huge compensation component for the private parties could not be managed. He said for this 30 feet land on both sides of the BC Road was to be acquired.
Responding on the present status, the Director ERA said BC Road-Rehari Chungi and Amphalla flyover project is very important to tackle the traffic problem in Jammu north. He said ERA has written to the R&B authorities and State Government to arrange funds for the compensation. He also referred to a PIL filed by the Bar Association Jammu demanding early completion of this flyover project and also its extension to New Plot-Janipur area.
“We have prioritized this project. We have requested to Government to rope in ADB or any other agency for the funding and as some green signal is received from there, new project would be formulated. After the cost escalation during last over 10 years, now this project may go around Rs 50 to 60 crores. We hope that this project would be cleared by the Government this year, ” Shabnam maintained.
Sat Sharma (MLA, Jammu West) said that massive traffic jam at Rehari Chungi-Amphalla-New Plot-Janipur and Jewel Chowk-Canal Road-Talab Tiloo has become a routine. The public is suffering and there is no doubt about it. The patients remain trapped for hours in jams and the school -college students besides employees reach late being caught in traffic jams. There is urgent need of flyover at BC Road-Rehari Chungi-Amphalla and even in New Plot-Janipur and Jewel Chowk- Canal Road- Talab Tiloo stretch. These flyovers could have been raised much earlier. Even there was need to create alternate roads in the city and remove encroachments on the roads. He admitted that he could not get sufficient time to help the people in this regard.
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