In sheer violation of ‘agreement’, no service lanes provided
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 24: The much hyped Jammu-Akhnoor 4-laning road project which was sanctioned by the Union Government during 2015 has jumped several deadlines and its completion is nowhere insight even during this year (2023) while in sheer violation of `contract agreement’, the contactor- M/s Tarmat Limited which has sublet work to the local contractors, has failed to provide proper and concrete services lanes along this under construction road.
A very bumpy and rough drive on the broken road patches at many places along this under construction road, has been causing much trouble to the commuters and specially the patients while shifting them from Akhnoor, Khour, Jourian, Sunderbani, Nowshera, Kalakote, Rajouri and Poonch areas to Jammu and back. Even the District Magistrate, Jammu; the Regional Officer of the National Highway Authority of India (NHIA) at Jammu and senior NHIDCL officials in the region have remained silent spectators to the sufferings of the road users and open violation of the contract agreement.
Official sources said that the actual ground work on this 26.35 kms road project from Bhagwati Nagar/ Canal Head Jammu up to Khati Chowk, a crossing near new concrete Chenab bridge near Akhnoor town along bypass road was started during 2018, though the project was sanctioned during 2015 as part of Prime Minister’s Development Package Projects.
“The Rs 917-crore project declared as NH-144-A, is nowhere close to completion despite the fact that NHIDCL has given July 31, 2023 as completion date to the contractor. Construction taken up in phases, work is yet to restart at many places due to red-tapism and slow pace of work by contractors stalling the project. Work on the bridge over Ranbir Canal near Suyya No. 1 (Bypass) has been abandoned for the last eight months while work on five other bridges is going on at snail’s pace,” the source added.
Four-laning of this strategic Jammu-Akhnoor highway, part of ambitious Centrally sponsored reconstruction scheme incorporated as national project in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi missed the June 2021 first deadline and three more thereafter (June 22, with one year Ext due to COVID, Dec 2022 and March 2023), despite the fact that it was set as priority project by both Central Government and Union Territory administration. But this ambitious project is likely to miss next deadline of July 31, 2023 as more than 30 % work is yet to be executed by the EPC contractor, sources added.
Sources alleged that M/s Tarmat Ltd has sublet work to a local contractor (Janak Raj Gupta) and one from Jallandhar (Satish Aggarwal) with not much expertise in handling such type of projects. That is also one of the reasons behind the delay. The contractors, however, alleged that NHIDCL authorities are causing delay in making payments and moreover, land at many places was not made available by them for executing work. The work on bridge over Canal near Suyya No. I ( Akhnoor Byapss) has been suspended due to some dispute over design. The NHIDCL authorities need to resolve the issue. They also caused much delay in providing land under Army at Domana and Rakh Muthi for execution of work, the contractors alleged.
Sources revealed that M/s Tarmat Ltd, a Mumbai based Infra development company signed an EPC Agreement on 07.06.2019 for the work of “Up-gradation to 4-lane with paved shoulder of Jammu-Akhnoor Road section of NH-144 A from Ganesh Vihar (Km 6.000) to Khati Chowk (Km 26.350) of 20.350 Km length in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir to be executed on EPC basis (Package-Ill)” at the contract price of Rs.193.99 cr, with construction period of 24 months commencing from the appointed date i.e.12.07.2019 on the terms, conditions and covenants contained in the contract agreement which are in force and remain effective.
Authority, in fulfillment of its obligations handed over the required stretches of the Project Highway to the EPC Contractor as per the essential terms and conditions of the Contract Agreement, the EPC (Engg Procurement Constt) Contractor was obliged to undertake the Survey, Investigation, Design, Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Maintenance of the Project and observe, fulfill and comply with and perform its obligations set out under this Contract Agreement and moreover, to follow the Contract Agreement and the obligations stipulated therein with full adherence, diligence and sincerity.
Sources further said that the date of achieving the milestones of the Project as per Contract Agreement (Schedule-J) are 23.03.2020 (MS-I i.e. 10%), 22.09.2020 (MS-II, i.e. 35%), 23.03.2021 (MS-Ill, i.e.70%) and 11.07.2021 (Scheduled Completion Date, i.e. 100%). However, EPC Contractor in complete disregard to the contractual stipulations has achieved only 30.73% financial progress as on 27.07.2021 and failed to achieve the scheduled completion due to the defaults and breaches. The contractor failed in mobilizing the adequate resources, manpower, materials, machinery and plant and equipment etc. to meet the desired progress as per milestones fixed as per Schedule-J of Contract Agreement. The EPC contractor failed to maintain the quality of work in accordance with prescribed standards/specifications.
It is pertinent to mention here that on the directions of the office of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the then Divisional Commissioner Jammu Dr Raghav Langer had reviewed the progress of work and also conducted site visit on June 6, 2021 to inspect the progress of work. He had expressed his dissatisfaction over the progress and issued strict directions to the contractor to expedite the pace of work and achieve the agreed targets of work. Langar took strong note of the poor condition of the existing road and the contractor was instructed to maintain the existing road so that commuters do not face any inconvenience.
The Div Com had directed the contractor to expedite the work progress and NHIDCL was asked to take appropriate actions on the contractors in case of poor performance. He told the NHIDCL that the EPC Contractor’s act was totally unethical and showed total disregard to its commitment made during the review/conciliation meetings, moreover, the EPC Contractor proved that it is not at all bothered about the public discomfort that is being faced by the people due to slow execution of the project.
A senior NHIDCL official said that keeping in view the slow progress and poor quality works the NHIDCL had issued several show cause notices to the EPC contactor for placing in the Negative list. The replies of the contractor were rejected due to reasons that the EPC Contractor failed to maintain the quality of work in accordance with the prescribed standards and specifications. The contractor failed to take up all the safety measures as required and is executing the project in question in a negligent manner. He failed to mobilize the adequate resources, manpower, materials, machinery and plant & equipment etc, despite repeated communications from the Authority.
Considering the non- responsive, non-professional attitude of the EPC Contractor towards their obligations as per the provisions of the `Contract Agreement’ and failure to meet the agreed targets and continued painful slow progress of work, the NHIDCL placed M/s Tarmat Ltd., in the ‘Negative List’ for one year from Dec 15, 2020 or till it achieves the Milestone-III, whichever is earlier, official added.
Interestingly, the action on the part of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to put Tarmat Ltd, an ‘EPC Contractor’ in negative list on Dec 15, 2020 for failing to meet the agreed targets on the four- laning of Jammu-Akhnoor Road project brought to focus the fate of ambitious Prime Minister Development Package (PMDP) projects in Jammu & Kashmir.
Work from the fourth Tawi bridge to Canal Head has been started after much delay but it is going at snail’s pace. The work from Canal head to Muthi (Ganesh Vihar), 6 km fly-over stretch which started in 2018, stands recently completed by M/s Singla Constructions Ltd that too, after exerting pressure by the Government.
General Manager, Projects, NHIDCL , Jammu Col (Retd) SP Sangwan when contacted said that except newly designed bridge over Ranbir Canal at Bypass Akhnoor, the Tarmat Company has been given final deadline of July 31 this year. He said about 72% work on this road project has been completed and hardly 28% work including that of seven bridges is pending. The road work is nearly 90% completed, the GM added.
In replying to a question, the NHIDCL GM said there is no doubt that company has jumped several deadlines and was also put in the negative list but after seeing its performance, the company has been cleared from the list now. He said the design of bridge over Ranbir Canal near Bypass was changed after objection by the J&K Irrigation department. Now, steel bridge will be constructed over it. Army area land at Rakh Muthi and Domana was also issue which now stands resolved with the cooperation of Army officers. Col Sangwan hoped that work will be completed in the given time to the contractor. Regarding proper pucca service lanes, the GM said instructions would be passed on to the contractor.
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