*Projects miss several deadlines
Goldi Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 11: The Government is patting its back over the allotment of various sports projects for Jammu region but most of them are facing official’s apathy as many of them missed several deadlines since their inauguration.
Three major projects which are considered to be more important for Jammu based players and have been lingering on for a long time due to unknown reasons. These projects are an all weather Swimming Pool inside the premises of MA Stadium, laying of synthetic turf at Mini Stadium Parade and Multipurpose Sports Complex cum Green Avenue at Bhagwati Nagar.
First two up-gradation projects have been lingering on for several years which were announced by the popular Government of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. Thereafter, the J&K Government led by Governor Satya Pal Malik had announced that all the projects which are still incomplete due to shortage of funds have been funded through Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Faineance Development Corporation Limited (JKIFDC) and the same were approved by the High Level Committee in the year 2019.
The 3rd ambitious project-‘Multipurpose Sports Complex cum Green Avenue’ was announced by then Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam who had said that it will developed on the pattern of MA Stadium where several games will be played at same time. The foundation stone of the project was laid by the Chief Secretary himself at Bhagwati Nagar on the bank of river Tawi in 2019, but till date the Executing Agency-J&K Sports Council failed to take the possession of land from the District Administration.
“Due to unlimited delay on part of the Council to take possession of nearly 320 kanals land, the piece of land has been turned a dumping garbage ground for Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) where everyday several garbage laden vehicles and some sewerage filled tankers could be seen unloading the garbage and filth at the proposed site,” said sources while wishing anonymity.
Sources said that the laying of turf at Mini Stadium Parade was allotted to a Hyderabad based Sports Infrastructure Company-Great Sports with the announcement of four months time in February 2021. Thereafter, the Council has already extended the deadline by two months but till date the project is not completed so far.
“The officials of the Council are asking the project has been delaying due to delay in payment from the JKIDFC in the financial year 2021-22 but the insiders told Excelsior that there is apprehension that earlier, the officials had allotted the work worth crores to Great Sport without any Administrative as well as Technical approvals.”
Now, the files of the said projects are moving from one office to another to get approval of the said project. “Due to delay in getting approval from the Government, the contractor slowed down the pace of work and asked the department concerned to first release the payment of work which he has done so far,” sources added.
Sources further said that it was the same company who laid Synthetic turf at Hockey Ground Poonch but nearly Rs one crore of its payment is still not cleared by the Council so far. Now the contractor is hesitating to complete the work at Mini Stadium Parade.
While, the up-gradation work of an all weather Swimming Pool was inaugurated inside the premises of MA Stadium Jammu in the month of February 2019 under languishing project is still incomplete after missing several deadlines. The project cost was to be decided Rs 5.30 crores in which Rs 3.50 crores have been released by the high powered committee, framed by then Governor, Satya Pal Malik under languishing projects. Till date, the project missed several deadlines and now the Council has fixed a new deadline by October, 2022.
What is more disappointing for sportspersons is that they will have to wait for some more months for the completion of the project, which was scheduled to be completed by December 2020 at the time of its inauguration.
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