Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 23: After remaining suspended for years together, the work on abandoned Ganpat Bridge on river Chenab in Doda district is going to be re-started within next one month as the Consultant engaged by the Government has carried out minor changes in its design in order to proceed further without compromising on safety aspects.
However, the Government has yet not taken any decision vis-à-vis initiating action against the officers, who were responsible for causing huge financial loss to the State Exchequer, which was also the direction of the Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) of State Legislature.
Official sources said that the consultant—T K Basu, who was appointed by the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation on the direction of Minister for Roads and Buildings, Abdul Majid Wani, has made some minor changes in the design of the bridge on the basis of detailed exercise carried out at the spot.
“The Consultant has also conveyed to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, which had put question marks on the geo-engineering stability of the bridge, that with minor changes in the design the bridge conforms all the safety parameters”, they said. Sources disclosed that work on the abandoned bridge, which is of immense importance for entire population of Doda and Kishtwar, would be re-started within another one month after completion of some paper works, which are at very advanced stage.
The work on the bridge was started by M/s A K Constructions in February 2007 at the cost of Rs 25.46 crore and it was to be completed within 25 months——by February 2009. But even after the lapse of over four years (from the date of its earlier scheduled completion) the fate of the bridge has been hanging in balance. What to talk of inordinate delay in the completion of important bridge even the State exchequer suffered loss due to certain loopholes having taken place due to the follies of the officers and officials of JKPCC Ltd.
Interestingly, the same company—M/s A K Constructions, which had abandoned the work on the project, is being entrusted with the task for completion of remaining work, sources informed, adding “the R&B Department instead of inviting fresh tenders for execution of left over work on the bridge has made up mind to direct A K Constructions to re-start work under fresh terms and conditions”.
When contacted, Minister for R&B, Abdul Majid Wani confirmed that with some minor changes in the design the work on the abandoned bridge would begin within one month.
“In order to ensure that this dream project of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and then Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, don’t get delayed further, a Committee comprising of Deputy Commissioner Doda, Chief Engineer PDC, Chief Engineer R&B and Managing Director JKPCC would monitor progress on the bridge once in every month while T K Basu will closely monitor the safety parameters during the execution of work”, he added.
About the compulsion behind engaging A K Constructions, which was responsible for delay in completion of bridge, the Minister said, “inviting fresh tenders would have taken much time. Moreover, A K Constructions would now work under a new mechanism and control”.
Mr Wani avoided direct reply to the question regarding action against erring officers, who were responsible for causing huge financial loss to the State exchequer despite the fact that this was one of the directions of the Committee on Public Undertakings.
The Committee had directed the R&B Department to furnish its own enquiry report instead of waiting for State Vigilance Organization’s report and fix the responsibility against all the erring officers for causing huge financial loss to the exchequer. It had also directed for initiating criminal as well as administrative proceedings against the employees.
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