Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 9: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today ordered macadamization of roads in Jammu as Monsoon has nearly ended and approved Rs 200 crores for modernization of General Bus Stand, Jammu and Rs 100 crores for Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to carry out development works of emergency nature. He also directed that Master Plan of Jammu should be put in public domain for inviting suggestions from the people on how to proceed for development of next 20 years.
This and other directions were passed by the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh while presiding over a meeting of the Jammu Development Authority here this evening. The meeting also decided to set up more colonies for Economic Weaker Sections (EWSs) and reserved plots for them in other upcoming colonies for betterment of the under-privileged classes.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, Incharge Housing and Urban Development Department and Power, approved Rs 200 crores for construction of modernized General Bus Stand at the existing place in Jammu on the pattern of ISBT (Inter-State Bus Terminal), Jammu.
“The tenders for construction of modernized Bus Stand will be opened on September 15 and work allotted the same day,” sources said, adding there had been a clause in the tender that the Company will have to complete the work in two years otherwise it would be penalized. The penalty clause has been kept as deterrent for the Company, whosoever is allotted the work, to get it completed exactly in two years.
“The funds will be no problem as the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister have themselves announced Rs 200 crores for modernized Bus Stand Jammu,” sources said, adding the Company, which would get the tender on 15th of this month, will be categorically told to give an undertaking to complete the work in two years.
The Bus Stand will also have multi-storey parking and various other facilities to look it much better than the ISBT New Delhi.
Mufti Sayeed and Dr Nirmal Singh also ordered release of Rs 100 crores for the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), which was badly suffering from the cash crunch to undertake minor development and repair works of lanes and drains.
Sources said the JMC officials pointed out in the meeting that they had no funds except to pay for the salaries to the stop. The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister ordered release of Rs 100 crores for the JMC to undertake works for repair of lanes and drains within the Municipal limits.
In another significant decision for which the Government had come under strong criticism by various police and social organization and the common man on worst condition of roads in the City, which had been washed away at many places, Mufti Sayeed and Dr Nirmal Singh ordered that since the Monsoon season was now nearly over, the work of macadamization should start soon.
“A direction will go to the Works Department to immediately start the macadamization work and complete it in the shortest possible time to avoid inconvenience to the people,” sources said.
It may be mentioned here that the people had been protesting at various places on poor condition of roads, which had led to several accidents in the City. The roads at various places had been washed away in the rains.
Sources said the macadamization work would start within the next few days.
In another important decision, the meeting decided to put Master Plan of Jammu in public domain very shortly to invite suggestions from the people on development of the City for next 20 years.
“The Master Plan is ready and it would be put in public domain very soon. The people will be given enough time to give their suggestions on the changes required in the Master Plan,” sources said, adding that authorities in Srinagar have also been asked to finalize Srinagar Master Plan within the next three months. The authorities had sought six months but they had been given three months only to prepare the Master Plan.
Sources said the Government has decided that all JDA colonies will henceforth go hi-tech with complete use of IT. The JDA has been asked to develop more colonies for the EWS people and keep provision for EWS in other colonies. It also asked Jammu and Kashmir Bank to select one big park each in Jammu and Srinagar for development and maintenance under its Corporate Social Responsibility.
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