*People suffer as one tube still closed
Video on www.excelsiornews.com
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 18: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today ordered high-level inquiry into washing away of protection wall of fourth Tawi bridge linking Ware House to Canal Road, whose second tube is still closed and could take couple of more months to be made functional, causing enormous inconvenience to the commuters.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Chief Minister has appointed Commissioner/ Secretary Works, Rohit Kansal as the Inquiry Officer in washing away of a portion of the bridge within few months of its construction.
“The Chief Minister has asked Rohit Kansal to inquire into washing away of protection wall of the fourth Tawi bridge leading to its closure and fix responsibility of the engineers, who were responsible for its construction,’’ sources said.
The Commissioner/ Secretary Works has been asked by the Chief Minister to immediately start inquiry, find reasons behind negligence in its construction, fix responsibility and submit report to her for further action, they said.
The fourth bridge over river Tawi was constructed during previous National Conference-Congress regime and commissioned by that Government. However, within few months, its protection wall and some portion of the bridge was washed away in two floods—first during 2014 and second time during this Monsoon, leading to closure of the bridge.
After minor repair works, the authorities had opened one tube of the bridge while second tube was still under repair, sources said, adding that it could take at least two months to the repair work to make the bridge fully functional.
The virtual closure of the bridge and now partial resumption has put commuters to enormous inconvenience as entire traffic load was diverted to other bridges. Earlier, large number of Akhnoor, Rajouri and Poonch bound vehicles used to divert from near Asia Hotel to fourth bridge and then take Canal Road.
Sources said washing away of protection wall of the bridge and some other portions within few months of its construction had raised many eyebrows. Finally, the Chief Minister today ordered the enquiry to nail those responsible for negligence in the construction work.
The Chief Minister during her tour of Jammu City had inspected various developmental works including fourth Tawi bridge. She ordered the inquiry during the inspection of the bridge.
“You should hold an inquiry about various aspects of the bridge,” the Chief Minister told the Commissioner/Secretary Works, flagging collapse of a portion of the structure due to poor construction work and design.
Portions of the 750-meter long bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 147 crore and thrown open for traffic in 2013, were washed away twice in flash floods in 2014 and June 2016.
The bridge was closed for traffic after the second instance of collapse and reopened for one-way traffic in September this year but work to complete the portion is still going on.
The State Government had been under attack over frequent traffic snarls in Jammu city due to closure of the important bridge for over 3 months that has drawn protests from various groups.
In November 2014, the State Vigilance Commission had ordered an inquiry into the washing away and collapse of a portion of the bridge.
The complaint alleged use of sub-standard material in the construction of the bridge and also siphoning off of funds meant for it.
The inquiry had also been ordered into the alleged disproportionate assets possessed by these officers
The bridge was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, on May 17, 2013.
A portion of the approach road of the bridge was washed away after heavy floods in the Tawi during September 2014.
The bridge had remained closed for a 6-month period then.
An official handout said:- Giving categorical instructions that delays in the completion of developmental projects in the State won’t be countenanced, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today asked the officers and executing agencies to complete all the ongoing projects within the time schedule and avoid the overrun of cost and time.
Reviewing on spot pace of work on several key developmental projects during her tour of the Jammu city, the Chief Minister impressed upon the officers to work in synergy with each other to remove any difficulties coming in the way of progress of works. She regretted that much of the time for developmental activities, particularly in Kashmir, got wasted and directed the officers to make up for the lost time.
Mehbooba advised the officers and project executing agencies to explore the possibility of starting works simultaneously on different components of a project to avoid time loss. In this connection, she suggested starting landscaping works at sites where civil or any major works have been completed or are nearing completion. She also asked for immediate plantation at these sites to enhance the aesthetic appeal and in view of the approaching plantation season.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh also accompanied the Chief Minister during the tour.
The Chief Minister visited the proposed City Chowk parking project and took on the spot appraisal of the works being carried out. She was informed that work on the project is apace and the facility is likely to be completed by early next year. She enquired about the relocation of some nearby utilities and asked for expediting the same.
Mehbooba visited the multi-tier parking project at Bus Stand Jammu, where she was briefed about the status by Divisional Commissioner, Dr Pawan Kotwal and other senior officers. She was informed that Rs 201 crore project would have first three floors reserved for parking of around 1300 vehicles and 1700 two wheelers while as the fourth and fifth floors would have commercial activity centres like restaurants, shops etc. for the attraction and facilitation of commuters and tourists.
The Chief Minister asked the engineers and officers to expedite the work on the project so that it is thrown open to public within the notified deadline. She also directed landscaping of the spot so that it becomes aesthetically pleasing and attracts more and people in view of the centrality of the project.
Mehbooba visited Rs 77.50 crore flyover coming up at Bikram Chowk and took stock of its completion. Directing its timely completion, she stressed on undertaking landscaping and plantation of land patches on the two sides of the flyover. She directed the concerned agencies to sort out all the issues with each other regarding the project completion and not let it get delayed.
At the artificial lake being developed at River Tawi, the Chief Minister was informed that the gates are ready and the project would also be completed by early next year. She was informed that protection works on one side of the river have been completed and on the other side would be taken up by December first week.
At the upcoming Nikki Tawi bridge, Mehbooba was informed that the seven span bridge being built with latest construction technology would be ready by March next year. Four spans have been laid and rest three would be laid in coming months, she was told by officials at the site.
The bridge is being constructed to connect the 25 villages which were cut off from the main city in the floods of last year.
The Chief Minister inspected the Jammu airport expansion site and enquired about the status of the project. She was informed that the process of transfer of land and utilities is in the advanced stage after which the Airport Authority of India would start its works. She was informed that after the expansion the area of the airport would spread to 30, 000 square feet with 3000 passengers per hour capacity.
Mehbooba later visited the site of proposed 200 bedded maternity hospital at Gandhi Nagar where she was briefed by Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat about the status of the project.
Being built as one of the associated hospitals of Government Medical College, Jammu, Rs 50 crore project is expected to be ready by June, 2017.
The Chief Minister visited the ambitious cable car project in the city and inspected the works there. She was informed that the civil works at the project would be completed by July 2017 and the project would be completed by early 2018. She was informed that the RCC works at the site are almost done and approach road to the cable car station is also being constructed. Similarly, works on Peerkho side are also on, the Chief Minister was informed.
The project is expected to cost Rs 61.92 crore with a Rs 32 crore electro-mechanical component. It would have a revolving restaurant at Mahamaya and once completed give the city life a new dimension.
The Chief Minister also visited the Panchayat Bhavan at Railhead where she was received by Minister for Rural Development & Law, Abdul Haq. She went round different units of the Bhavan and appreciated the tastefully done renovations and asked for its proper usage.
MLA East Jammu, Rajesh Gupta, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Commissioner/ Secretary, R&B, Rohit Kansal, Secretary, PHE, Sanjeev Verma, IGP, Jammu Zone, Danesh Rana, MD, JK PCC, Dileep Thusoo and other senior officers accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel