Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 28: Concerned over delay in start of work on the expansion of Jammu airport due to certain glitches between Army and the Civil Administration, the Chief Secretary of the State, Madhav Lal has written to the Defence Secretary seeking his immediate intervention for early decision on two vital issues, which have been creating hurdles in taking up of the ambitious project.
Official sources in the Civil Secretariat told EXCELSIOR that work on the ambitious project could not be taken up till date mainly because of two unresolved issues—one pertaining to re-construction of utilities on the alternate land to be provided to the Army at Sunjwan in lieu of land to be taken over for expansion of Jammu airport runway and second relating to alignment of 132 KV electricity transmission line.
“Army wants Civil Administration to construct those utilities on alternate land at Sunjwan which will be razed on the land being taken for expansion of airport while as the Civil Administration has taken the stand that it will only pay the compensation for the utilities and Army should construct the same at Sunjwan as per its own specifications and requirements”, sources said.
“Similarly, Civil Administration wants Army to relax norms in case of 132 KV electricity transmission line but the Army has not taken any decision so far on this request”, sources said.
As per the norms there is prohibition on passing of any electricity transmission line within three kilometers from the runway of airport but the Civil Administration is finding it difficult to fulfill this norm because of River Tawi, sources informed, adding the Civil Administration has conveyed to the Army authorities that it would take the 132 KV electricity transmission far from the present location but by all means the new alignment will pass through area within three kilometers from the runway.
“Though Civil Administration had taken up these practical difficulties with the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 26 Division of the Army, no consensus could be emerged till date”, sources said.
As the work on the ambitious project could not be taken up because of these two issues, the Chief Secretary of the State, Madhav Lal recently sent an official communication to the Defence Secretary seeking his personal intervention to resolve both the issues at the earliest, sources disclosed, adding “the Chief Secretary has explained the urgency to settle these issues, which is imperative for early start of work on the project”.
Sources informed that both these issues were also highlighted by the officers of the Civil Administration in the Core Group meeting held here on November 26, 2012 under the chairmanship of Lt Gen D S Hooda, GOC 16 Corps. It was stressed in the meeting that local Army officers should pursue the matter with the concerned authorities in the Defence Ministry so that ambitious project could see light of the day.
“There was positive response from the Army officers”, sources said.
About the shifting of other utilities, sources said, “we will have to re-route road stretch and change the alignment of irrigation channel in order to pave the way for expansion of Jammu airport”, adding “these issues are within the domain of the State Government and once the issues with the Army are resolved there would not be any problem in taking up of these works”.
The prestigious project is aimed at expanding the length of runway of Jammu airport by 1300 feet from existing length of 6700 feet in order to pave the way for landing and take off of planes with full load and capacity. Moreover, some terminal buildings would also be constructed for better facilities.
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