| Sordid saga of Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover | | Minister sets deadlines, forgets them later | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 16: The dilatory mode of functioning in the state government could be gauged by the fact that with just two weeks away from the set deadline, the completion of much hyped Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh is far from completion.
As per the insiders, it was impossible that the project would get completed in mere 14 days as the deadline was set by the government as March 31, 2018. "It remains to be seen what would be the new deadline for the completion of the project as merely 60 percent of the work is finished with rest going on at a snail's pace. The government itself seems be clueless as the delay is taking heavy toll on vehicular movement in the summer capital," said an official privy to the development.
Last year in November, labourers and technicians had gone on strike at the site for their pending wages. Due to such a development, the project missed the deadline of its first phase which was earlier set as December 31, this year. The project, on which work began in 2013, is funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and executed by Economic and Reconstruction Agency (ERA). The 2.4-km flyover missed many deadlines due to dispute with shopkeepers, floods in 2014 and 2016 uprising. Its completion is expected to reduce the travelling time from Jehangir Chowk to Hyderpora and will ease traffic jams in the city.
Meanwhile, appending wide scale backlash over snail's pace work, the government has tasked the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to personally monitor the work over the fly over.
Reports inform that the R&B is being slammed by one and all in Valley over the way it is monitoring the work of the flyover- the construction of which has led to total chaos in the summer capital- resulting in traffic mess and prolonged snarls.
Interestingly, the incumbent R&B minister while setting one more deadline had stated that the first link of the flyover connecting Amar Singh College with Barzulla will be operational by the end of August 2017. However, the Div Com in November stated that the first link will get operational by the end of 2017.
Recently, a high level meeting was held in Srinagar that was chaired by the Div Com Kashmir. It was informed in the meeting that the total cost of the Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover project was Rs 262 crore and the first phase of the project from Rambagh-Amar Singh College would be completed by ending December 2017.
Taking the control now in his own hands, the Div Com directed contractors to enhance the scale of labour at the site so that the project is completed in a fixed timeline. |
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