news details |
|
|
| 290 Km project inked in 1912 for completion in 4 years, 10 km project remains elusive 10 years after announcement | | Tale of two ropeway projects | | ET Report
Jammu, Feb 6: The history of Jammu and Kashmir in 1912 has a lesson to teach to the present Government, which it fails to learn.
The third Dogra ruler, Maharaja Partap Singh had penned an agreement with a British company to construct 290 km Rope-way to connect two- Capitals of the State (Jammu and Srinagar) to be completed in only four years, while the present Government has not been able to complete the 10-km Rope-way project even after ten years of its announcement.
Jammu-Srinagar ropeway had to pass through much more difficult terrain through the high Shivalik and Pir Panjal mountain range while ten kilometres rope way is just on the edge of Jammu city.
The Dogra ruler, in an agreement with Forbes and Forbes Co. mentioned that from the date of signing the agreement, a period of one year will be given to the company for survey on the terrain and after that, the project of 290-KM Rope way from Jammu to Srinagar should be completed within two years. It was also mentioned in the agreement that if the company fails to start the Ropeway within four years of the agreement, the agreement will be cancelled. Whereas the State administration is working on a project of connecting Mubarak Mandi-Bagh-e-Bahu-Mahamaya Temple with a rope way for more than 10 years, but no progress is visible on ground till date.
In one of the most rare documents preserved by the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums shows the wide vision of the erstwhile Dogra rulers, as Maharaja Partap Singh had made a plan to connect both the cities with ropeway in 1910 because for more than six months in a year, there was no connectivity between the two capitals of the Dogra dynasty.
Maharaja Partap Singh, had given contract to the Forbes and Forbes Co., a London based company, which had its head office at Karachi in erstwhile India, after a proper tendering. He ruled the state from 1885 to 1925, the ropeway through the Public Private Participation (PPP) mode was the dream project of the Maharaja. In the agreement it was also mentioned that the construction company will take care of environment issues, the company was allowed to survey in the forest area, but the cost of trees and wood damaged during the project had to be paid by the company.
As per the MoU, the Maharaja had to pay £100,000 as the state's share for the project while the remaining expenditure had to be borne by M/s Forbes Campbell and Company.
The documents, which were duly signed by His Highness, Jammu and Kashmir and representatives of the Company, disclosed that the fare for travelling from Jammu to Srinagar was also fixed. Three types of travelling categories were proposed: Rs 32 was fixed for first class, Rs 16 for second and Rs 5 for third class. A provision for 25 per cent concession to Government officials was also made in the MoU and there was another plan for the Rope-way from Srinagar to Baramulla.
However the project was not executed because of the personnel interests of the British rulers, but the State Government can take advantage of the plans and maps preserved in the achieves of the department. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
