Non release of funds by Centre main cause of delay
Avtar Bhat
KATHUA, Sept 3: Though construction was started in October 2015, the much talked about 12 km long Guni -Hatli Morh road which missed the deadline of its completion in March 2018 is still incomplete as constructing agency has abandoned the work due to non release of funds by Government.
The foundation stone of road was laid by the then Works Minister, Altaf Bukhari along with then Minister of Health and Medical Education of J&K, Ch. Lal Singh on October 16, 2015 and it was to be constructed at an estimated cost of over Rs 26 crore. The road, which has a 200 metres long causeway is being constructed by Jammu Kashmir Projects Constructing Corporation (JKPCC) under Central Road Fund (CRF) scheme and the construction work has been allotted to a private company of Pathankot, M/s Wallia and Company.
However the concerned agency failed to complete the road and causeway in the stipulated time frame due to non availability of funds owing to which a population of 20,000 people of the area are facing many hardships especially in rainy season in travelling to the other parts of the district Kathua or Jammu region.
According to official sources, the total estimated cost of the road was over Rs 40 crore but after the allotment its estimated cost was reduced to over Rs 26 crore as per the rates quoted by constructing agency.
However out of Rs 26 crore, the Central Government has till date released only Rs 12 crore for the construction of the road and the contractor abandoned the work half way due to paucity of funds with the result the people of many adjoining villages of four Panchayats of Hatli to be linked with the road are facing hardships. Their problem takes critical turn during the Monsoon when the rivulet flowing through the area is in spate.
The engineers of JKPCC, the agency which is constructing the road and causeway said that the work can be completed within six months provided the funds are released. They said that the contractor has no problem in starting the work at any time provided he gets the payment for the execution done by him from time to time.
Official sources said that out of seven spans of 200 metres long causeway four spans have been constructed while the three are yet to be constructed. They said under CRF the money is released in piece meals from year to year and that has delayed the construction of the road in time. Out of 12 kms long road earth work, metalling and bitumen has been laid in some portion during the last five years, officials added.
The local people are however up in arms against the administration and constructing agency for such a huge delay. They said instead of target date of two and half years over five years have now passed and still the road has not been completed putting the entire population to a lot of trouble.
Mohan Singh, a local resident said that work at causeway on Dole Khud is lying incomplete causing serious problem to daily commuters who can’t cross the river in rainy season and people can’t visit any place so they have to remain confined to their houses in rainy season for many days as the rivulet is in spate. “We are eagerly waiting for completion of road and causeway for over last five years and are waiting for the day when our this dream will be fulfilled”, he added.
Bimla Devi, another local resident said that it is very difficult for people to even walk on the road having big holes and ditches. This entire road turns into a pond during rainy season. The contractor is busy in other projects to complete as he did not get the payment in time. He works only few days and then stops the work for months. The daily commuters having no other option have to travel on this worst road and some times they even met accidents.
The inhabitants of the area face problems in shifting the sick people to hospitals especially when weather is unfavourable and local stream overflows its banks, said Bimla Devi. “We have made many representations to the concerned authorities requesting them to intensify the work on the road and causeway to relieve the people of the problem which they are facing on account of rough road but to no avail”, she added.
The work on the road is going at a snail’s pace and in case the construction work will go with the present speed then it will take over two decades for completion, said Mohinder Kumar, another resident. He added that roads are key to development of an area and the Government should keep the speedy construction of roads its first priority.
An engineer of JKPCC however, said that the paucity of funds is the main handicap in delay of the work. “We have already projected the demand for release of funds before the Government and under CRF funds are provided in peace meals and we have to bear with it”.
The agency is on the job and as soon as funds are released the contractor will resume the work said Executive Engineer, JKPCC Girdhari Lal.
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