*Enquiry agency yet to respond repeated queries of JKSC
Goldi Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 19: The fate of faulty pavilion of Subhash Stadium Udhampur has been hanging in balance from the last six years due to alleged corruption and malpractice done by local contractor in construction of the pavilion.
The then Government of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir had constituted a high level committee to look into the issue of faulty designing and alleged corruption in construction of the structure to Roorkee based agency-Central Building Research Institute, CSIR-CBRI.
In this regard, the Roorkee based agency had visited the site few years back and found that the building was unsafe for any types of activities and submitted its report to the committee which was framed by then Government to enquire malpractice done by the local contractor and executing agency-Public Works Department to construct the pavilion of the Stadium at Udhampur.
“The Roorkee base agency also suggested some remedies including either re-designing of the pavilion or its demolition and construct new ones,” said official of the premier sports body-Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC), adding that the Council suggested the Roorkee based agency for redesigning of the structure.
“There were six reminders which were sent by JKSC officials to Roorkee based agency and the last one was sent to them in the first week of the this months and same communiqués were in possession of Excelsior, but nobody from the CSIR-CBRI has been responded so far, resulting the construction of pavilion is delaying unlimited,” said higher official while wishing anonymity.
The officials further said that the construction works of pavilion of worth Rs 6.32 crores was allotted to Public Works Department in 2014 and the executing agency sublet the same works to local contractors for execution.
“After the start of construction at the proposed site, the officials of construction wing of the Council visited the spot during their routine check-up and inspected the outer structure of the pavilion and found that the malpractice made by local contractors in construction of the said structure and matter was raised before the PWD and the Government immediately,” he said.
Thereafter, the JKSC and the Government had stopped the construction works and constituted a high level committee to enquire alleged violation of designing by the contractors. Since then, the officials of J&K have been repeatedly sending reminders to Roorkee based agency for redesigning the pavilion, so that spending money of public exchequers can be saved but nobody has been reply so far.
Another official of JKSC informed Excelsior that even the Council had suggested the Roorkee based agency for redesigning the pavilion rather than demolition the half constructed pavilion, so that the public exchequer can be saved. “The Council also offered their consulting fee for redesigning but after lapse of sufficient time, the agency failed to produce remedies the said half constructed pavilion so far.
When contacted to Deputy Commissioner, Piyush Singla said that he has raised the issue with premier body of sports-JKSC and its response is still awaited. “However it is prerogative of the Council to demolish it or redesigning the structure but it should be constructed early, so that the players as well as spectators can take the benefit of the structure for which it was constructed,” he said.
The official of the Council further said that no doubt, there was malpractice done by local contractors in construction of it but we will follow the procedures and rules suggested by the high level committee, appointed by the Government to find out violation done by the contractor. “Now, it is the prerogative of the Roorkee based agency whether it will suggest redesigning or demolition of the structure, thereafter we will take the final call and take up the matter with the Government,” he suggested.
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