Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 18: In a testimony of present dispensation’s good governance slogan remaining confined to the official statements only, the National Conference-Congress Coalition Government has made the mockery of the commitments on urban infrastructure made before the Planning Commission of India during the past three consecutive Annual Plan presentations.
None of the major commitments, which otherwise could have changed the face of urban areas particularly twin capital cities of the State, could become reality thereby indicating that presentations on Annual Plans made by none else than the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, have been rendered a ‘book of lies’ by the concerned authorities.
According to the official information available with EXCELSIOR, during the presentation on Annual Plan for the financial year 2011-12 made by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on June 15, 2011, a commitment was made to the Planning Commission for revision/preparation of Master Plans for planned development of urban locations.
Though the exercise for preparation of Master Plans was initiated yet the same could not reach the logical conclusion till date as such the commitment in this regard has remained unfulfilled despite lapse of nearly three years, sources said, adding similar was the fate of commitment regarding establishment of new housing colonies in the capital cities as no such colony has practically come up till date albeit some paper works might have been carried out by the concerned authorities.
During the presentation, the Planning Commission was apprised that the State Government would lay required focus on the management of urban transport by up-gradation of existing parking places and creation of multilevel parking places in twin capital cities but what happened to this commitment is known to every citizen of the Jammu and Srinagar cities.
“As far as Comprehensive Mobility Plan for two capital cities is concerned, which was also one of the vital aspect of the presentation made before the Planning Commission, though documents have been prepared by the RITES but no significant decision about the implementation of plans has been taken during the past nearly three years”, sources informed.
Similarly, construction of abattoir (slaughter house) near Nagrota, which was also part of the commitments made before the Planning Commission, has not been completed till date. “A Ghaziabad-based company, which was given the project, has yet not completed even the field leveling work and the pace of work indicates that project is unlikely to be completed in near future”, sources added. Moreover, the construction of dumping site at Kot Bhalwal has remained an unfulfilled commitment.
The commitments regarding upgradation of existing parking places and creation of multi-level parkings in twin capital cities, abattoir and construction/up gradation of dumping site at Kot Bhalwal were reiterated during the presentation on Annual Plan for the financial year 2012-13 by the Chief Minister before Planning Commission on July 13, 2012 while as City Mobility Plans and a revised State Housing and Habitat Policy were again made part of the Annual Plan presentation for the financial year 2013-14 but all these commitments remained unfulfilled, sources said.
“In this way, the presentations on the Annual Plans made during the past three consecutive years on urban infrastructure have been rendered book of lies by the concerned authorities”, they said, adding “it would not be a surprise if these commitments are again made part of the Annual Plan presentation for the current financial year”.
They further said that if this was the fate of road map for urban infrastructure during the past three consecutive years what was expected from the National Conference-Congress Coalition Government as far as creation of infrastructure for rural areas is concerned.
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