*50% work on one component still pending
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 16: Making mockery of the directions of the constitutional head of Jammu and Kashmir, State Government has failed to meet the deadline fixed by the Governor N N Vohra for complete restoration of historic Bhim Garh fort in Reasi district. The dilly-dallying approach is notwithstanding the fact that this fort has huge potential to become another major attraction spot of the Jammu-Katra-Shiv Khori Tourist Circuit.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the work on this historic fort, which remained in deplorable and crumbling position and never attracted the serious attention of the successive State Governments, was started in April 2010 only after Governor N N Vohra expressed serious concern over the pitiable condition of momentous citadel of Dogra rulers.
As the financial constraints could have become hurdle in the conservation of fort, the Governor, who is also the Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, suggested the taking up of conservation work on sharing basis and even got 40 per cent of the project cost funded by the Shrine Board. It was decided at that time that the rest of the 60 per cent cost would be borne by the Tourism and Culture Departments.
On the directions of the Governor, the skilled artisans, who had standing instructions not to deviate from the original structure, took up the first component of the project—entire structural part of the fort. Thereafter, the Governor reviewed the progress on the restoration of fort after regular intervals, as he was very keen to ensure completion of project in a time-bound manner so that fort becomes another attraction point of Jammu-Katra-Shiv Khori Tourist Circuit, sources informed.
On November 29, 2013, the Governor inspected the ongoing work for the restoration of Bhim Garh fort and issued directions for expediting the same. He fixed ending March 2014 as deadline for completion of all the components of the project, they said. “In order to ensure that all the components of the project are completed within this stipulated time-frame, the Governor asked Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Reasi District Administration and Tourism Department to prepare a detailed plan mentioning various components of the project which have already been completed and those which remain to be accomplished by laying focused attention”, sources said.
As Governor was informed that restoration of structural portion of the fort was nearing completion, directions were issued for focusing on outer portion by constructing walking track around the periphery of Bhim Garh fort, laying out an attractive approach to the fort and speedy completion of installing illumination of the internal area of the fort, cafeteria, sit-out plaza, public conveniences, outer landscaping, fixing of grills along the staircase and other allied works within fixed timelines.
However, even one year after the lapse of deadline fixed by the Governor, the completion of work on second component remains a distant dream, sources disclosed. “In this way the concerned authorities have made mockery of the directions of the constitutional head of the State as they were aware of the fact that Governor was keen in restoration of this fort”, they added.
As far as public conveniences are concerned, only structure has been raised till date without any facility. Similarly, only 50% landscaping work has been completed and parking place and main entrance (Deodi) remain incomplete mainly due to the slackness of the engineering wing of the Tourism Department, sources said. Similarly, no progress has so far been made on illumination of fort and establishment of ticket counter(s).
When contacted after repeated attempts, Executive Engineer in Engineering Wing of Tourism Department, Javed Iqbal, who looks after the restoration of Bhim Garh fort, initially expressed inability to share the information and later deputed his subordinate for divulging details vis-à-vis works completed and still going on.
The Engineering Wing of the Tourism Department has admitted that majority of outer area works are yet to be completed. “Even work on a tower of the fort, which suffered damages during the unprecedented rainfall of September 2014, is yet to be started”, the officer said, adding “since the work is required to be carried out in Chuna-Surkhi, restoration of damaged tower will take time”.
However, the Engineering Wing could not justify the inordinate delay in completion of works in outer areas and failure to meet the deadline fixed by none else than the Governor.
“In view of dilly-dallying work on second component of the project, nobody knows when the dream of Governor would become reality”, sources said.
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