STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Minister for Public Works and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri, on Tuesday took review of functioning of the PW(R&B) Department for Jammu division. The meeting had detailed account of all major initiatives being undertaken under PMGSY, NABARD, Central Road Fund (CRF) schemes including present status of the projects, scheduled completion of projects etc.
The minister gave deadlines for each project and asked for early completion of all public utility schemes like construction and renovation of bridges, buildings, colleges, roads besides others. This will enable the department to hand over the completed projects to the concerned agencies at the earliest so that vital public utilities can be made available to the general public.
Veeri asked the department to give special focus on timely completion of all projects with special focus on health and education ventures.
The minister also passed instructions to all officials to take utmost care while preparing the DPRs for all future undertakings of the department so that issues like land acquisition, structure acquisition don’t cause unnecessary delay in completion at the later stages. Veeri instructed the officials to review performances of all private contractors engaged with the department. He directed the officials to take strict action against contractors who are causing unreasonable delays or are subletting the work assigned to them or those whose quality of work is substandard. It was informed in the meeting that mega projects initiated in the state under CRF are in various stages of completion, many of which are expected to be completed within the next few months.
The minister reviewed the progress of each project in detail and asked the department to submit a comprehensive completion itinerary so that regular scrutiny can be maintained on these. The mega projects include 200 bedded Maternity Hospital Gandhi Nagar, new Medical College at Rajouri, Government Degree Colleges at Khour, Budhal and Surankote, Model Degree College at Mahanpur in Kathua, Government Polyte-chnic College at Chanderkote in Ramban and Trade Facilitation Centre at Chakan-Da-Bagh, Poonch.
With regard to the National Highway projects being undertaken by the department, the minister directed for close coordination to be developed for expeditious completion of these projects for convenience of traders, tourists and people alike. The national highway projects under the aegis of PWD include 28 Km stretch of Jammu-Akhnoor NH-144A, 67.50 Km stretch of Domel-Katra-Reasi-Pouni NH-144, 184 Km stretch of Batote-Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantanag-Khanabal NH-244.
The minister said that the National Highway development projects need to be undertaken as priority. He directed the department to carry out regular surfacing works along the said stretches for public convenience till the National Highway projects are underway. Progress for the macadamization program for city and town roads, construction under Special Bridge Program, reconstruction of damaged bridges under PM package, projects under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), multiple 100 bedded Girls Hostel buildings across Jammu division under RMSA, projects under Tourist Destination Program, Interstate Connectivity Projects was also reviewed in the meeting. Com-missioner Secretary R&B Rohit Kansal, Chief Engineer R&B Jammu Alok Mengi, all Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers from Jammu Division, Deputy Director Planning among other officials were present in the meeting.
