Akshay Azad
JAMMU, Mar 5: Infamous for nepotism, corruption and irregularities in its projects, the Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) has continued to bleed the state exchequer by delaying the projects of pressing public importance and escalating their cost from 40-250 percent.
Sources informed Early Times that despite some serious strictures against the corporation and its officers, the working of the JKPCC has grown from bad to worse, raising a serious question on its very need.
"The construction of Community Health Center Mahore, Reasi was allotted to JKPCC in the year 2008-09 at an estimated cost of Rs. 10.63 Crores, but the Corporation has revised the estimated cost thrice and the revised cost has escalated to 248 percent at Rs. 26.40 Crores", sources said, adding that project was scheduled for completion in 2010-11 but after the lapse of around 4 years, it was far from completion.
Moreover, in the construction of sub district hospital Khour, around 215 % cost escalation is witnessed so far. "The original cost of project was Rs. 3.98 Crores but the revised cost of project is Rs. 12.57 Crores, besides the scheduled time for completion was 5 years but after expiry of deadline, the project is still lingering", sources said.
Sources further disclosed that the original cost of District Hospital Rajouri was Rs. 18.07 Crores but the cost escalation witnessed to around 157 percent and reached to Rs. 46.40 Crores. "The duration of execution of project was 7 years, but still the project is incomplete", sources said.
"The original cost of IMPARD complex at Jammu was Rs. 6.75 Crores and with escalation of 62 % the cost of project reached to Rs. 10.64 Crores", sources said, adding that in the case of IMPARD complex, funds were available with JKPCCL, but same had failed to execute the work properly and project failed to get completed in stipulated time.
They further said that cost escalation of 42 % was recorded in construction of Polytechnic Samba while 39 percent cost escalation in construction of Polytechnic Kathua.
Moreover, sources further said that cost escalation was also witnessed in several other projects being executed by JKPCC, including District Hospital Reasi, PSC Girder Bridge on tawi Hanjana Nowshera, Community Health Center Chenani, Construction of bridge over river Chenab at Thathri and construction of Bunjwa Dunadi road Kishtwar.
Sources further said that not even a single project out of above-said 10 projects was completed within stipulated time by Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation. "Astonishingly, not even a single project, from above mentioned, was earned by JKPCC by competitive bidding. Moreover, JKPCC also applied service charges to the tune of 15 % of project cost on every project", sources said.
An official pleading anonymity said that the management of JKPCCL was claiming to earn profit but in real sense the profit was only by cost escalation of projects and liberal funding by Government to Corporation. |
