| Udhampur s Subhash Stadium unsafe , may collapse if not strengthened timely: CBRI Survey | | |
Jammu, Jan 19
Although Jammu and Kashmir Government is claiming to raise sports infrastructure of international standard across the Union Territory, the startling revelations made by the Central Building Research Institute, tell a completely different story.
A team of specialised engineers from Central Building Research Institute: CSIR ? CBRI, Roorkee, in 2018-19 surveyed Subhash Stadium at Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir and found the structure 'unsafe', which may collapse anytime in future if not strengthened timely.
The official correspondence between the Engineering Wing of J&K Sports Council and the officials of CBRI assessed by the news agency unraveled that the stadium building is presently 'unsafe' and needs immediate repair.
"Our team from CBRI Roorkee couple of years ago visited Subhash Stadium to conduct a survey and found that the building is in shambles and needs reconstruction," a senior Scientist at CBRI, pleading anonymity here told UNI telephonically.
He said that a report was submitted to the J&K Sports Council and the District Udhampur Administration wherein it was specifically mentioned that the structure of Subhash Stadium has turned weak and needed to be redesigned.
"We suggested redesigning of the Stadium because the construction procedures were not followed and there were many drawbacks, which were mentioned in the report," said the CBRI Scientist adding that the building needed to be redesigned after rectification.
"After visiting the site, we submitted the report to the J&K Sports Council and office of the then DDC Udhampur Ravinder Kumar," he disclosed further saying that the CBRI was receiving official communiques regularly from the Engineering Wing of the J&K Sports Council seeking their expertise and suggestions for redesigning.
"Due to the COVID pandemic, the project could not be taken up and we could not revisit the site," he said and added that previously, detailed documents were not provided by the concerned department and after deliberations with the higher ups and structure analysis during survey, the construction was found unsafe.
"Though, J&K Sports Council told us that it is 'safe' but our opinion remain unchanged and the structure needs urgent repair," said the Scientist adding that the Sports body did not carried the construction even after declaring it safe by their own engineers.
"The construction material was not found sub-standard during survey but the workmanship quality (skill), was not appropriate," he said adding that there were some technical snags on the engineering part.
"The casual approach led the building to become unsafe," he said and claimed that if not strengthened timely, the building may collapse.
While confirming the visit and declaration of the building unsafe to news agency a senior official from CBRI said, "Workmanship has not been done aptly due to which the building developed technical errors on engineering part however, with regard to material, no major flaw was found."
He advised that it should be repaired under the supervision of expert engineers.
"We are not sure that reconstruction will ensure desired safety and save the building from demolition, which will be the only option left if the exercise do not bear fruits," said the scientist.
Meanwhile Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Dr Piyush Singla told , "We have taken up the issue on many occasions with the J&K Sports Council and recently also conducted a meeting to discuss the matter but unless official word is received from the Sports Body, whether this building is needed to be demolished or overhauled, nothing concrete can be done from our side."
"Nobody conveyed us any official word. Joint teams of the Sports Council and Public Works Department were framed and they visited the spot earlier. I have been updated in the last review that the Sports Council has yet to submit its decision for further action," the Deputy Commissioner said.
However, repeated attempts to contact Secretary J&K Sports Council Dr Naseem Javed Choudhary remained futile as he did not respond to phone calls.
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