Muhammad Mukaram
Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 30: The government has not increased the allocation of funds for last four consecutive years to Roads and Buildings Department, which is state's key department, for the developmental works, hence taking a serious toll on its work.
"Despite the fact of inadequate funding from the government, R&B has macadamized and repaired around 1500 kms road network across the valley which was extensively damaged due to the September 2014 devastated floods, and in which several part of roads were damaged by the snowfall in March last year," said an official in R&B department, wished anonymous.
The government of Jammu and Kashmir has not increased the budget allocation for the past four years. "The department is continued to get Rs 100 Crore since past four years," official added.
The figures in possession with Early Times, repairing and upgrading the 1500 km road stretch last year, cost the department a whopping Rs 700 Crore. "Ironically, the government released only Rs 300 core while Rs 400 Crore are still pending," the official said.
He said on an average around 1000 km length of road gets damaged due to rain and snow every year. "What will we do with the meager Rs 100 Crore a year," he said.
According to him, the rural areas are posing a big challenge to the department than the urban areas. "Due to the population explosion, a person constructs a house in a portion of land where there is less population. He then demands macadamised road. And within no time, the area becomes fully residential and we have no choice to ensure the road leading to the area is macadamised, otherwise, there will be a huge public outcry," he said. Similarly, in urban areas, the department faces another challenge in the form of mushroom growth of new residential colonies. "Every day, we get at least 30 to 40 applications from the heads of colonies seeking mecdamisation of roads that include lanes and by-lanes," the officials said.
The department, the official said is bound to entertain the applications of people despite limited resources.
Talking to Early times, Chief Engineer R&B, Satish Razdan also admitted that the department was not financially sound to address the growing demands of people. "Yes, the government has not increased the funds but we have multiple schemes in which we managed to macadamize and repairmen the road length."
He said that the department has taken up the repairing and upgrading of roads on priority basis. "We prefer highways, sub-highways, link roads across the valley for the mecdamisation. This is our first priority," Razdan said.
He said in absence of funds, the department can't be sit inoperative. "We have to move on. Roads will continue to get damaged, and we will continue to repair them." |
