Rs 10 cr project becomes victim of political wrangles
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 16: Falling victim to the political wrangles, the work on the Mini-Secretariat complex building at Rajouri, has been abandoned since March 2015 by the R&B Department.
Sanctioned earlier than the Rajouri Mini-Secretariat complex, such Mini Sectt building at Reasi district headquarters is already functional while Mini-Secretariat complex at Poonch is nearing completion. But the building complex at Rajouri, which was sanctioned during 2013 is still incomplete, with hardly 15 % work performed on it by the Jammu based contactor under the supervision of R&B Division Rajouri.
The new DC office complex (Mini Sectt), which was sanctioned during 2012-13 on 20 kanal land of Education Department (DIET) with the cost of Rs 10 crore, has been abandoned after raising hardly 50% of the pillars and laying foundations on about 5 kanals of the area since March 2015.
The work was suspended after a communication from the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu on March 23, 2015. There is provision in the new proposed 2-storey complex to house almost all the district level offices under one roof with one large conference hall, providing major relief to the general public.
But unfortunately this important Rajouri project became victim to the politics of BJP and PDP. Once the foundation stone was laid at DIET complex and work stated 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 DC office complex, on the land of R&B department, without bothering for the huge public amount spent on the first site.
At the second site, where 28 kanals R&B land was available, a small structure was also raised by the R&B Division Rajouri to fix foundation stone on the name of then 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. The then DC Shahid Iqbal had proposed nearly 20 kanals of R&B land within the same old DC office complex and the R&B authorities had also agreed. Moreover, the Education Department had already given the NOC for establishment of Mini- Secretariat on 20 kanals of DIET land with plenty of space for parking of vehicles.
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 leaders in district Rajouri. The ultimate sufferer, is the general public of Rajouri district, because the people have been deprived of the facility for the last so many years, despite the fact that the released Rs 7.50 crore, is still lying with the R&B department.
Official sources said that with the abandoning of the work on this important project for so many years, there is cost escalation of about 50 % of the amount due to inflation. The project may go beyond Rs 15 crores now. The people responsible for it must be penalized.
A former Deputy Commissioner said that two years time was given to the contractor Sharad Puri to complete this project, but after performing hardly 20 % of the work, it was stopped with the influence of some local politicians. Some persons wanted to shift this complex near Muradpur on Rajouri-Nowshera highway while others within old DC office complex. And ultimately DC office complex project on R&B land was also shelved with the intervention of local former PDP legislator. Otherwise, it should have been functional at that location which is also ideal one, just closer to Sports Stadium and District Hospital, Rajouri.
Executive Engineer, R&B, Rajouri Mohd Zabir when contacted said that work on this Rs 10 crore project was started during 2013-14 but was abandoned in March 2015. He claimed that Sharad Puri was the contactor and his performance was also satisfactory. The Government had released an amount of Rs 7.50 crore for the said project and Rs 1 crore was released in favour of contractor. The rest amount was lying with the Department.
When asked about the delay in the completion of project, the Executive Engineer said, Education department had raised some objections over the land as it could not be transferred to the user agency till date and moreover, no final decision could be taken by the District Administration for the construction of Mini Secretariat at the same venue where money to the tune of over Rs 1.2 cr has already been spent or switch over to some new location. He said the R&B is the construction agency and is still waiting for the directions from the top.
Chief Engineer, R&B Jammu, Nasir Goni, however, said he was not much aware of the development but knew that the work on that project has been stopped due to political interference. The people sitting at the top in the Administration are capable to take final decision in this regard. As and when the matter is settled, the work would be resumed, he added.
Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Nazir Ahmed Sheikh said that he has taken over recently and was not much aware of the reason of the delay. The DC said, he would take review of the project shortly by taking meeting of the concerned officers. He said District Administration will seek clearance of the project after discussing the issue at the higher level. He said plenty of parking space and free passage to the complex, would be his priority.
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