Work on only 5 sub-components finished so far
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 5: Despite lapse of over two years, majority of the tourism sector projects sanctioned under title “construction of assets in lieu of those damaged in the devastating floods of September 2014” are nowhere near completion. This is mainly because the Government has not fixed project-wise timelines, which otherwise are imperative for completion of works within shortest possible period.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that tourism sector infrastructure suffered massive damages due to devastating floods of September 2014 and accordingly on the request of the State Government the Union Tourism Ministry agreed to provide Rs 100 crore for permanent restoration of damaged assets.
This assistance was also reflected in the details of the Reconstruction Plan, which was announced by the Prime Minister on November 7, 2015 and formally conveyed to the Chief Secretary of the State by the Union Government.
Initially, the work on almost all the projects and their sub-components was started with the required face but with the passage of time the vigor faded away as a result of which work on majority of the projects and their sub-components is nowhere near completion, sources said, adding “even at present the pace of the work is not up to the mark”.
As per the official document, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, only 60% work has been completed on project titled “development of tourist facilities at SKICC” while as no exact status of project titled “development of tourist facilities at Chinar Bagh” has been reflected. Only “work in progress” has been mentioned against five sub-components of this project.
As far as project titled “development of tourist facilities at Dal Lake” is concerned, 70% work has been shown as completed on two components while as “work in progress” has been mentioned in respect of other component. “The work in progress” has simply been mentioned as far as project titled “development of tourist facilities in and around Zabarwan Park” is concerned and percentage wise progress has not been reflected.
Similar is the fate of projects relating to development of tourist facilities at Nehru Park; development of tourist facilities at Royal Spring Golf Club; development of tourist facilities around Khushal Sar Lake; development of tourist facilities at Babademb Lagoon, development of tourist park at Athwajan Srinagar and development of tourist facilities at Nageen.
As far as Jammu region is concerned, less than 50% work has been completed on all the major components of the project titled “development of tourist facilities at Sidhra Golf Course”. The tenders for lighting at Surinsar have been stayed by the High Court but little efforts have been made to get the interim order vacated or modified.
Even construction of pathways and gender based toilets has not been completed at Mansar so far. Similarly, work on none of the 15 components of the project titled “development of tourist facilities at Bhagwati Nagar” has been completed so far. Some of these components are construction of Tourist Information Centre, Tourist Cafeteria, landscaping, gender based toilets, solid waste management, solar lighting, tourist pathways, resting shelter, open amphitheatre and ATM, Travel Assistance and IRCTC booths etc.
Even no progress could be made on development of tourist facilities at Akhnoor as Tourism Department has sought change of components and the matter has been taken up with the Union Ministry of Tourism. The Tourism Department is also dilly-dallying on the project titled “development of tourist facilities at Rajouri, Nowshera and Poonch”.
The status of development of tourist facilities at Rajouri-Nature Park (Thandi Kassi) and development of tourist facilities at Poonch-TRC has been shown as “work allotted” and “work in progress” in the official document of the Tourism Department.
During the past over two years work on only five components of different projects like landscaping and parking at TRC Srinagar, eco-toilets at Chaarchinari, illumination at Sonalank and tourist golf carts at Royal Spring Golf Club has been completed in Kashmir valley while as work on none of the components of any of the projects has been completed in Jammu region so far.
Had project-wise timelines been fixed and vigorously pursued by the Government, work on several projects could have been completed till date, sources said while expressing inability to specify time-frame for completion of work on all the projects and their components.
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