Avtar Bhat
GORDI (UDHAMPUR), Feb 20: To ensure better road connectivity in the remote and hilly areas of Udhampur district, Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP from Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Constituency, Dr Jitendra Singh today launched around Rs.100 crore worth road projects at Gordi in Chenani Assembly segment and Basantgarh in Ramnagar Assembly segment of the district.
Out of this, an amount of around Rs. 92 crore is to be spent on widening from single lane to double lane and upgradation of crucial road from Gordi to Udhampur and the first phase of work from KM-13 to KM-26 amounting to Rs. 40 crore began today.
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The importance of this much-awaited road project is that, this is believed to be an extremely accident-prone stretch and several casualties have taken place in road accidents in the past.
The other road project from Basantgarh to Kanned, which was simultaneously launched today falls under PMGSY. While addressing the mammoth gathering at Gordi, Dr Jitendra Singh said the project had been sanctioned much earlier but got delayed due to certain reasons. Since the helicopter could not land in Basantgarh today, the foundation stone plate for this project was also unveiled from Gordi.
Meanwhile, Dr Jitendra Singh has announced Rs. 25 lakh from his MP-Fund to build “Shaheed Smarak” for martyrs Madan Lal Chaudhary, Shubham Singh and Roshan Lal from Hiranagar. A tweet posted on his handle said, “Rs 25 lakh contributed from MP-fund to build Shaheed Smarak in memory of Shaheed Madan Lal Choudhary, Shubham Singh and Roshan Lal of Hiranagar of Jammu and Kashmir. The information to this effect was conveyed to Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Rohit Khajuria by the Union Minister.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that a number of such projects had been initiated in the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Constituency which had been pending for several decades. The question, he said, is why these initiatives were not undertaken earlier even though for the last 50 years, there have been influential Ministers and MPs representing this Constituency.
Referring to road projects, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the highest ever PMGSY package of nearly Rs.2400 crore was sanctioned for J&K State, out of which, nearly half the amount is allocated for Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Constituency. Similarly, the highest ever Central Road Fund (CRF) of around of Rs.1200 crore has been allocated for the State.
As Union Minister’s chopper could not land at Basantgarh where a rally was addressed by MLA Ramnagar, R.S.Pathania and Dr Jitendra Singh addressed them through mobile phone.
The Union Minister appealed to the State administration to avoid delays in execution of these projects. The Gordi road upgradation started today, he said, had been approved nearly two years ago. But the tender and allotment of work took place only last month. Similarly, he said, Rs.170.50 crore were allocated in February 2017 for river Devika cleaning project, but it took almost one year to prepare the DPR.
The Union Minister showed his concern over delay in framing of DPRs which in turn delay the timely commissioning of the projects. He said that it was his endeavour to get most of development projects completed by now but due to delay in the framing of DPRs the work could not take place.
Referring to various Centrally funded game changing projects launched in his Lok Sabha Constituency, he said the first-of-its-kind Bio-tech Park at Kathua had also got delayed because of the avoidable forest clearance issues.
Dr Jitendra Singh announced that the stretch of NH from Udhampur to Chenani will be ready by December 2018 as stated by NHAI and the stretch from Nasri to Ramban will be ready by June 2019 but Government is pressing for completing this stretch earlier by that.
He said in lieu of Nashri Tunnel NHAI has allocated Rs 14 crore for upgradation of Chenani Patnitop road. Likewise it has sanctioned Rs eight crore for upgradation of Old Udhampur road.
Besides, 7 foot bridges costing Rs 12 to 13 crore will be constructed on NHAI at different points on NH by NHAI.
Dr Jitendra Singh said a new concept Highway nest has been conceived under which at two places on NH one at Lakhanpur and another at Banihal a toilet complex, dhaba, restaurant and Petrol Pump will b constructed. At Lakhanpur Rs 40 to 50 crore will be spent on this project and it will be a majestic entry point into the State of J&K for people coming from outside.
Responding to queries from media persons, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he was extremely hurt to learn about an avoidable controversy which has arisen with relation to the Engineering College sanctioned for Kathua under “Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan” from the Modi Government. He said, “it was after tremendous efforts that we had got this College sanctioned for the benefit of the students and youth, and therefore, it is the responsibility of all of us, including the administration, not to entangle this College in unnecessary controversies and allow it to function in accordance with the priorities and the interests of the students’’, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh expressed his concern over the politicking of Rassana issue in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district. He said politics should not be done on the issue by any politician how high position he may be holding. “No body can accuse any one unless he proved in court of law. The decision in this regard should be left to court’’ and suggested that if State makes a recommendation in this regard there will be no delay in ordering the same from Centre.
MoS Roads J&K Sunil Sharma, while speaking on the occasion, gave a broad resume of the various road projects started in the State in recent times. He said, every effort is being made to expedite these projects.
He said 80 percent connectivity under PMGSY roads has been completed and rest will b completed by 2019. He assured all cooperation in road sector.
Sharma said under Khelo Abhiyan on stadium will be constructed in every block of the State at a cost of Rs four crore being funded from Centre. He said if MLA Chenani will submit the project he will submit the same to Centre.
MLA Chenani Dina Nath Bhagat gave a detailed account of the different pending projects which had been initiated in his constituency because of his constant follow-up and active cooperation from local MP and Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. He said, not a single month passes when he does not visit Delhi with a set of demands for his Constituency and personally approaches all the concerned Ministries accompanied by Dr Jitendra Singh.
He also projected various demands including KV for Gordi.
Others who addressed included Mandal president Gordi Bharat Bushan Sharma, Mandal president Ramgarh Rajinder Sharma and BJP leader Naresh Bhagat.
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