Govt spending Rs 80 lakh per year on rented pvt buildings
Work stalled by R&B in March 2015, not resumed even after 6 yrs
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 12: Caught in the worst political battle, the Mini Secretariat project worth Rs 45.82 crore at Rajouri district headquarters, is still incomplete even after nearly 11 years of its sanction while the project cost has escalated to nearly three times.
The Government continued to pay a whopping rent worth over Rs 80 lakhs annually for atleast its 25-30 offices housed in private buildings in Rajouri, putting an extra burden on the public exchequer. Had this complex been completed in two years time as granted to the agency- PW(R&B) Deptt initially, the Government could have saved crores of rupees paid as rent of these hired buildings during these years in Rajouri district headquarters.
Official sources told the ‘Excelsior’ that earlier it took long time to decide the site as some vested political interests tried to influence district administration and then the site was changed twice. And now, for the past over 5-6 years, some local political people from a particular party are trying to change it again despite the fact that Rs 7.50 crores stands released by the Govt to R&B and an amount worth Rs 1.06 crore has been spent on raising plinth and columns up to first floor of the building near DIET Complex, Kheora, just closer to District/GMC Hospital, Rajouri. But unfortunately, some political people want to shift it again near Muradpur on Jammu-Poonch highway just for their own vested interests.
Interestingly, the work on the project was abruptly stopped on a communication/letter No. 502/1827/ Mini-Secretariat/Raj/14/2921-24, dated March 25, 2015 from Divisional Commissioner’s office at Jammu, citing no specific reasons. Since then, no initiative was taken by the local political leaders or the District and Divisional Administration to settle the issue and facilitate resumption of work at this important project.
Ultimately, the public of district Rajouri is the worst sufferer, as they have remained deprived of this facility of `all offices under one roof’ at Mini Secretariat complex. Many villagers from far flung areas find it very difficult to locate the Govt offices situated in different localities having narrow lanes in Rajouri town and some time move home back after they fail to reach the desired offices.
The new proposed DC office complex (Mini Sectt), which was sanctioned during April 2011 on 43 kanals of land of Education Department ( DIET) with the cost of Rs 17.89 crore, was later proposed at Old District Hospital and Boys Higher Secondary School land measuring 32 kanals just closer to Dak Bungalow on -7-06-2012. The revised project worth Rs 36.79 crore was submitted to the Government.
But again, due to political wrangles the work was delayed and the project was again shifted to DIET Kheroa complex on 21-10-2014 and e-tenders were floated by Chief Engineer R&B Jammu with the revised project cost of Rs 45.82 crores. The work was allotted to Jammu based contractor Sharat Puri on 18-10-2014 and work on the project was started on 26-10-2014. But on December 11, 2014, the work was stopped on the verbal directions of the then Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri. But this work was again resumed on December 25, 2014 on the directions of the then DC Rajouri.
At present hardly pillars/ columns of the ground floor and concrete foundations on about 5 kanals of area out of total area of 43 kanals have been raised. The work is still lying suspended after a communication from the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu on March 25, 2015. Thereafter, three DCs have been shifted but no initiative was taken to settle the issue and resume work on this project. Since, 2011 the project cost has escalated to nearly three times and again if the work is resumed the project cost is likely to escalate five times the initial cost, the sources added.
Under Part -I of this proposed project, there is provision of 2-storey complex to house almost all the district level offices under one roof with one large conference hall with capacity of 250 persons and another hall of 50 persons capacity for meetings. The main offices proposed to be housed there included, the offices of DDC, ADDC, ADC, ACR, AC (Def), CPO, DIO, Tehsildars Hq/T/AR; Under Part-II, CEO Rajouri Development Authority, SE PWD, SE Hyd, SE PDD, Chief Education Officer, offices of 2 XEns PMGSY, DGM JKPCC, Prog Officer ICDS, CDPO, Distt Social Welfare Officer, Distt Treasury Officer, J&K Bank Ext Counter, Dy Director/ AD CAPD, Assistant Controller Legal Metrology, officers of ETO/ Inspector, Sales Tax officers, Pollution Control Board, Cultural Academy, Naib Tehsildar office, AD ISM, District Town Planner, Dy Director Floriculture, District Fund Office, Distt Employment Office, Women Development Corporation office, big conference, small meeting hall, waiting hall, besides Santary post & guard room and Dispensary toilet complex etc.
But unfortunately this important Rajouri project became victim to the politics of BJP, PDP and Congress. Once the foundation stone was laid at DIET complex and work started on the project, with the intervention of some other local political leaders from new dispensation, the venue was decided to be shifted in the old Hospital complex. At the second site of 43 kanals, a small structure was also raised by the R&B Division Rajouri to raise foundation stone on the name of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, but again due to objection by a few local political leaders, the foundation ceremony was cancelled. Some other leaders from BJP were interested to establish this office complex near Muradpur on Rajouri-Nowshera road. But the issue could not be settled. Moreover, at Kheora the Education Department had already given the NOC for establishment of Mini- Secretariat on its land near DIET with plenty of space for parking of vehicles and no traffic congestion in that area.
But this important Rajouri centric project became casualty for so many years only due to the personal ego and vested interests of some PDP and BJP besides Congress leaders in district Rajouri. The ultimate sufferer is the general public of Rajouri district.
Superintending Engineer, R&B Rajouri-Poonch Circle, Shahid Haroon said that two years time was given to the contractor Sharat Puri of Gangyal, Jammu to complete this project, but after performing hardly 10% of the work, it was stopped with the influence of some local politicians. He said after a letter from the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu the work was suspended on March 25, 2015. This Mini Secretariat would have been a reality today if the work would have been allowed to be continued by some vested interests. He said project cost was Rs 45.82 cr but it may escalate again with the passage of time. He disclosed that Rs 1.06 crore has been spent on the project and total amount of Rs 7.50 crore stands released in favour of R&B so far.
Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, R K Shavan when contacted said after taking over the charge recently he studied the project and tried to find out the reasons behind delay. He said since huge amount already stands spent on the project it would be more feasible to go ahead with this project. He said the area was selected at Kheora and there is no problem of traffic congestion. Moreover, it is within the town. Shavan said he would try to settle the issue and resume the work on this already delayed project as soon as possible.
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