STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Days after Jammu centric national political parties were up in arms against an alleged change of nomenclature of historic Bahu Fort Cable Car Project, BJP on Thursday came to its rescue by passing on buck to the previous National Conference-Congress regime holding them responsible for creating an ‘unwanted’ situation’.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Tourism, Priya Sethi, who as government representative addressing the media persons this afternoon at her office chamber in Civil Secretariat cleared the dust over Cable Car Project Row and said that the name of project in Bahu Fort not ‘Shahabad’.
The BJP Ministers, who preferred to maintain silence over the issue even after the growing undercurrent among the people, today came in forefront to clarify Party’s position and stated that the nomenclature is Mubarak Mandi- Bahu Fort Ropeway Project.
The minister confirmed that the tender has been revoked. The nomenclature of the project is ‘Mubarak Mandi- Bahu Fort Ropeway Project and there is no doubt in it, she told reporters.
The project was named in 2015 and the nomenclature will remain the same as the place is located in Bahu Tehsil. As the matter came to her notice she took strong note and solved the issue, she added.
Sethi also informed that the project is named as Bahu-Mubarak Mandi Ropeway project with Peer Kho as a takeoff point, Mahamaya as the intermediary and Bahu Fort as the landing terminal. Bahu Fort has its cultural importance and there is no intention to defame it, she added.
Replying to a query regarding fixing responsibility on the concerned officials, Priya Sethi said the government has initiated process to enquire the matter. However, she tried to avoid divulging the details of enquiry or action taken. “We have initiated the process and have done what was required,” she said.
However, she passed the bucks on previous government in the state and opposition.
The government has been taking all possible steps for the development and Jammu would be a better developed place and said projects would provide lot of employment opportunities to the unemployed youth. The parties who ruled in the previous government have no right to question as they did nothing during their regime.
Regarding a question of installation of signboard ‘Shahabad station’, she accused NC-Congress government of not taking action against the elements who instigated the situation.
It is to mention that Jammu and Kashmir cable Car Corporation Limited (JKCCL), have hurriedly revoked the tender issued on Friday last following the controversy.
The ruling alliance partner, BJP, has come under fire not only from the Opposition but also from its leaders who have made it clear that it would not be tolerated at any cost.
However, after seeing the growing public anger, JKCCL invalidated its earlier tender notice without offering any valid reasons for the same. It had issued a notice Vide 01-Jmu of 2017 dated March 17, 2017 inviting tenders for construction of a cable car project.
Surprisingly, it did not mention anything about its two important points viz Mubarak Mandi and Bahu Fort but it mentioned, “Construction of a wall on entry of Shahabad Station of Cable Car Project at Shahabad Jammu.”
Sethi, while elucidating numerous projects envisaging a total transformation in state’s tourism profile, said that Jammu and Kashmir is receiving special focus in terms of financial and other incentives for development as a self sustained tourism hub.
The State is witnessing a discernible change in every sphere of growth and development with a visible improvement and added professionalism in the working system.
The Minister, while spelling out the various projects underway for tourism sector, said that the state has received ample funds amounting Rs 2000 crore (projects for Rs 400 crore each for five years) for new projects and additional Rs 100 crore for construction of government assets in lieu of damaged, destroyed assets under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP).
Besides, three cable car projects are in pipeline for Jammu region including Jammu Rope way Project at the cost of Rs.60 crore which is due for commissioning by March 2018, Patnitop Gandola project sanctioned at Rs. 130 crore in PPP mode and Shiv Khori rope way project at the cost of Rs 80 crore for which tendering process has already been initiated, she added.
Probe ordered in changing nomenclature
Facing piquant situation over the much hyped issue of change of name of Jammu Ropeway Project, Minister of State for Tourism Priya Sethi on Thursday announced that a formal inquiry would be carried out to fix the responsibility of the guilty officer responsible for circulating tender notice for executing civil works on the cable car project between Peer Kho and Bahu Fort by distorting its nomenclature.
“I have already initiated the process of identifying the officials and have also called for explanation from the concerned authorities who tried to instigate the sentiments of people of Jammu region by changing the nomenclature of the cable car project”, the minister told reporters.
Questioning the opposition parties who are raising hue and cry over the issue, Sethi said they have no moral right to utter a word on the issue as they have themsleves created this mess for the sake of vote bank politics.
She said the BJP-PDP alliance government would respect the sentiments of Jammu region and won’t compromise on the issue nor allow anyone to play petty politics. She accused the opposition parties for not digesting the fact that the alliance government was focusing on all round development of the State.