Avinash Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 30: Achieved after prolonged struggle by Jammuites, the prestigious Central University of Jammu has become victim of lackadaisical bureaucracy and total lack of accountability of the system, in the name of autonomy.
Well-placed sources informed Early Times that under first phase, work worth over one thousand crores were allotted to a company and most of the works were to be completed by ending 2014, but owing to slow pace, over 65 percent works were pending. In first phase 2012-17, Rs 1049.7 crores were released by the union government for construction of upcoming campus at Raya-Shuchaini area of Samba district.
"Works worth Rs 430.73 crores in February 2013 were allotted to M/S Engineer Project India Limited (EPIL) by the University Administration and construction work had also begun in same year and was to be completed by 2018", sources said, adding that the company in violation norms further sublet the works to five companies.
"EPIL further sublet works amounting Rs 116.2 crore to Naga-Arjun Construction Company in month of September 2013 and was to be completed within one year, but after lapse of two years the company has completed around 38 per cent works", sources informed, adding that slow-construction is affecting academic activities of the university.
"Another company, M/S SEW was given works amounting Rs 264.98 crore by EPIL in month of June 2014 and deadline for completion of works was set July 2016, but the company is also far away from its deadline", they claimed, and added that two more companies, sublet by EPIL are not doing well, as after lapse of deadline around 60 per cent work is still pending.
"Percept Builders got allotted work amounting Rs 4.76 crore by EPIL in the month of June 2014 and works were to be completed by December 2014, eight months after deadline , the company has failed to even complete 50 per cent of the works. Similarly, Anil Construction got allotted 43.98 crore works, which begun in month of June 2014 and May 2016 was fixed as deadline, but it will take two years atleast to achieve its goal", they added.
Ridiculing, callousness of outgoing Vice Chancellor, Dr SS Billoria and his loyalists, sources said that instead of focusing on the construction of academic blocks, various courses being offered by the university, former built Directorate of Distance Education, Guest Houses and residential accommodation for faculty.
Due to apathy of the former VC the university has been paying Rs 1.2 crores annually as rent, for Temporary Academic Block (TAB) Sainik Colony, Jammu. The University administration had served notice to the company time and again but to no avail. |
