Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 10: The highest road bridge in the country at Doda over river Chenab, which remained in controversies due to internal politics, has been completed after the delay of over seven years and is being commissioned within a week.
Highly placed sources told the Excelsior that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is going to commission this bridge within a week. Earlier, this bridge was slated to be commissioned on Tuesday (Oct 11), but due to some other engagements of the Chief Minister, it could not be thrown open to traffic. Now, the Chief Minister will commission it within next one week.
Unfortunately, instead of its completion period of two years, the people of this Doda belt suffered for about seven to eight years, due to slow pace of work on the bridge. Not only this, there has been cost escalation of Rs 15 crores during this period.
This additional cost incurred on the bridge, is an extra burden on the public exchequer. Moreover, the people from Chenab region were allowed to suffer due to political wrangles and vested interests of some people in the Government and outside as the work on the bridge remained abandoned for about five years. Several members also raised the issue in the Legislature during the past and it also remained under investigation by Crime Branch and Vigilance as well.
Sources said that the work on this bridge was started during 2008 after the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad cleared the bridge project worth Rs 29 crore on river Chenab with sufficient height from the river pondage during 2007. But this bridge project remained in controversies from very beginning. Investigation agencies were involved and design of the bridge was challenged. Later, IIT Delhi was involved in the design study and then again another Delhi based consultancy was involved. But interestingly, again the first design of the bridge was okayed.
Managing Director of the JKPCC, Dalip Thussu when contacted said that the work of this bridge was allotted to the JKPCC after the project was cleared by the then Cong-PDP Government led by Ghulam Nabi Azad. Initial cost of the project was just Rs 29 crores. But during 2010, the cost escalation went up to Rs 39 crores. Again, the cost escalated due to long delay and now this bridge has been completed with the cost of Rs 44 crore.
The MD further disclosed that bridge is ready in all respects. The approach road on one side towards Doda City is being constructed by the R&B while nearly 600 mt approach road towards Khileni is ready. He further said that railing of the bridge has been fixed and even painted and black topping work on the bridge is also completed.
The level of the road with bridge from Doda city side was not in line and it was being leveled. It will take hardly a couple of days. He said the Chief Minister was approached and earlier they gave October 11 date for commissioning but it was postponed due to some engagements of the Chief Minister. But now. they have asked us to get ready and any date within one week will be given for the commissioning of this very vital bridge.
Thussu disclosed that Ganpat bridge is highest motorable bridge in the country and may be in Asia as well. The highest Railway bridge near Reasi (Salal) is also on river Chenab ( dam). This Doda bridge on river Chenab is 278 ft ( nearly 86 meters) in height. The total span of the bridge is 263 mt and its is double lane bridge. He said the third consultants M/s CES Delhi, a leading and old bridges Consultancy cleared the initial design of the bridge which indicated that it was unnecessarily dragged into controversies by some people. Only minor changes they suggested but the design remained the same as cleared by first consultancy.
Minister for R&B Abdul Rehman Veeri when contacted said that he was particular about the early completion of this important bridge in Doda. He said that the bridge is ready and he has sought time from the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to get it commissioned. He disclosed that the bridge is now being commissioned shortly.
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