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| Work on beautification projects hit a major roadblock | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Mar 24: The beautification of Srinagar and Jammu has hit a major roadblock as work on several projects executed by the Power Development Department have been stopped.
Work on several projects of street lighting was started in Kashmir after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in April last year expressed unhappiness over darkness in several parts during her evening tour in Srinagar. She also expressed unhappiness over several parts of Jammu were plunged in darkness.
Subsequently, the government started work on several beautification projects. One of the projects was installation of high mast street lights in Kashmir and Jammu. An official of the PDD said the project for installation of 150 high mast street lights in Kashmir was allotted to a contractor at the cost of Rs 7 crore.
"Around 70 percent has been completed but not a single penny has been released to the contractor," the official said.
Another project was Dal Lake beautification project, which was allotted to a contractor for installation of ornamental lights along the lake. "The contractor was to install 700 poles with two lights along Dal Lake. Sixty percent work has been completed. The work has been stopped now due to non-releasing of payments," the official said.
The official said very less work has been completed in Jammu so far. "Now work has been stopped. These projects were for beautification of Kashmir and Jammu especially in twin capitals and were to be completed within three months. But it seems it will still take a lot of time as work has been completed," the official said.
One of the contractors said that they were told to complete the work at the earliest. "Not a single penny has been released for these works," the contractor said.
Similarly, work on at least nine projects sanctioned for strengthening power distribution in Jammu and Kashmir have also been "sabotaged" by the authorities. These centrally-sponsored projects were sanctioned to the state under two DDUGJY and IPDS schemes for installation of poles and transmission lines.
However, PDD officials in Jammu failed to submit a comprehensive proposal about these projects to the government. "The PDD officials created delay in framing a comprehensive proposal," an official of the PDD, said. "It is due to their lack of concern that projects could not be started in Jammu for installation of poles and transmission lines."
A senior PDD official said that government has been told for releasing of payments to the contractors. |
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