STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday asked the executing agencies to pace up the work on developmental projects and ensure compliance of completion deadlines even as she expressed satisfaction over many of the mega projects in core infrastructure following the completion timeline.
The Chief Minister was reviewing the progress on many of the mega developmental projects in the State.
Mehbooba Mufti impressed upon the engineers to restrict to the scheduled deadlines and cost estimations of these projects. She said these mega projects have the potential to change the socio economic profile of the State and asked the engineers and executors to give their best to the completion of these projects.
Mehbooba Mufti reviewed the pace of progress on the projects sector wise and took an appraisal of the cost estimations, amount spent and the balance payments of these projects. In today’s meeting she reviewed the project implementation in sectors like PWD, PHE, Health, Education and Technical Education.
The Chief Minister was informed that process of DPR formulation for Valoo-Singhpora and Mughal Road tunnels has been started and also in case of Domail-Katra, Jammu-Akhnoor and Chennani-Sudhmahadev road projects the DPRs are in progress and the alignments have been finalised.
In the PWD sector, the Chief Minister was informed that many of the key projects like Ganpat bridge, Samba-Mansar road, Satwari-Kunjwani road, 50 kilometre Bhaderwah-Chamba road upto Himachal border, Bridge at Shiva Dal, Doda besides Rs. 56 crore road project at Nikki Tawi are almost complete and about to the thrown open this year.
Similarly, the meeting was informed 45 kilometres of road length has been macadamised in Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch.
Work on the Rs. 76 crore Kotranka-Khawas road, the meeting was informed, has been allotted and is expected to be completed in three years. The Chief Minister directed that work on the 30 kilometre road should be started from both the ends so that the completion is achieved within the timeline.
The meeting was also informed that work on Rs. 158 crore Keerian-Gandial-Kathua road project has been started and is targeted for completion in 2019.
In the Kashmir province, the meeting was informed that five bridges viz. Palapora bridge, Soiteng bridge, Presentation Convent bridge on river Jhelum, Bosipora, Ganderbal bridge, Ashmuji bridge in Kulgam and Pushwara bridge in Anantnag are almost complete and are expected to be thrown open to public by this year-end only.
Similarly, the meeting was informed that, the work on 19 kilometre Drang-Tosamaidan road via Sinthan and 11 kilometre Larkipora-Zaidoora Lisser is apace and is expected to be completed next year. Also the meeting was informed that work has recently been started on Magam-Beerwah, Ladoora-Achabal and Gingel-Lachipora roads.
On the semi-ring road projects of Jammu and Srinagar cities, that recently got Centre’s approval on the request of the Chief Minister, the meeting was informed that land acquisition process is on and is expected to be completed soon. The two projects are valuing at around Rs. 3700 crore and involve construction of 11 major bridges, 49 minor bridges, nine flyover besides other features.
The meeting was informed that Zangli bypass road project in Kupwara, renovation of Zero Bridge in Srinagar and Vodhpora bridge in Kupwara have been completed and thrown open to public use.
The meeting was informed that the structure of Legislative complex at Jammu has been completed and only final finishing works are to be taken up. Also 75 % work on Bikram Chowk flyover project is done and rest of the work would be completed shortly, the Chief Minister was informed.
In PHE sector, the meeting was informed, that the drinking water needs of Jammu city are be supplemented with the digging of 19 more tube wells and also, on the instructions of the Chief Minister, Centre has been approached for sanctioning Rs. 624 crore water supply augmentation scheme for the city which would suffice the consumer needs of coming 30 years. Similarly three other water supply schemes including Naigarh scheme in Kishtwar are expected to be completedwithin two years.
Similarly, construction of barrage on River Tawi and expansion of Jammu airport at Belicharana is also expected to be completed this year.
In Kashmir province, 10 MGD Tangnar water supply scheme is about to be operationalized, the meeting was informed and eyeing the futuristic requirements, the capacity of Rangil, Sukhnag and Chadoora water supply schemes is being enhanced.
The Chief Minister, however, expressed dismay over the slow progress on the flood protection and beautification works being undertaken on the banks of river Jhelum in the Valley.
In the health sector, the meeting was informed that foundation work for the three Medical Colleges of Baramulla, Anantnag and Rajouri are in progress while as the land acquisition process for setting up AIIMS at Awantipora and Vijaypur is in advanced stage. Similarly, final finishing works are going on at the 200 bedded maternity hospitals at Jammu and Srinagar and are expected to be thrown open this year.
The Chief Minister directed pacing up of work on the Sub District Hospital, Sopore in view of the work having been started long back and centrality of the town. The project is expected to cost Rs. 39 crore.
In the Education sector, the Chief Minister was informed that class work has been started at the IIT, Jammu and IIM, Jammu from last session and land has also been transferred to the campus. An off campus for IIM Jammu has also been approved by the Centre, she was told. Besides, two architectural schools at Srinagar and Jammu have been set up.
In the Technical Education sector, the Chief Minister was informed that four among the 18 Polytechnics set up in the State have shifted to their own buildings while in case of the rest, the process is on.
The meeting was informed that Rs. 200 crore would be spent on upgrading sports facilities and infra in the State for which various projects have been taken in hand.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nrmal Singh; Minister for Education, Syed Altaf Bukhari; Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Shoudhary and Minister for PWD, Naeem Akhtar besides Chief Secretary, B. R. Sharma; Financial Commissioner, Planning & Development and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas and administrative secretaries of many Departments were present in the meeting.
‘KPs inseparable part of Kashmir’
Jammu: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday made a special gesture to win the hearts and minds of displaced Pandits as she visited several of their camps here to extend “personal greetings” for the upcoming Shivratri, becoming the first Chief Minister to do so. She visited Purkhoo, Muthi, Nagrota and Buta Nagar camps besides the Jagti township and extended her greetings to the inhabitants for the festival which will be celebrated on February 24. Touched by the Chief Minister’s gesture, the inhabitants received her in the traditional Kashmiri style. While interacting with the inhabitants, Mehbooba said, “Kashmiri Pandits are an inseparable part of the Kashmiri society, and the inclusive ethos, for which Kashmir has been known for ages, is incomplete without them.”
She said the Muslims in the Valley are eagerly waiting for return of Pandits to their ancestral place. The Chief Minister assured the community that government would consider their demand for participating in panchayat and municipal elections. On the occasion, Mehbooba took stock of the facilities being provided to the displaced people at these places.
She said her government would take all possible steps for the welfare of the community. Revenue and Relief Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri, Divisional Commissioner of Jammu Pawan Kotwal, Relief Commissioner and other senior officers of Relief Organisation accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.
Some KPs demanded ouster of the Relief Commissioner for his alleged “bad behaviour” with the migrant community.
