| JKPCCL causes short realisation of Rs 1.64 crore, undermines job restriction directions | | Corporation's profitability affected, ability to meet administrative cost too gets nullified | | Early Times Report
jammu, Apr 5: Undermining the clear cut directions of the government and the project authority to ensure cost restriction during the implementation of the project, Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation Limited (JKPCCL) wrongfully caused short realization of Rs 1.64 crore in Mehbooba Mufti's tenure as chief minister.
Official documents and audit reports reveal that after the damage of Niki Tawi bridge owing to floods of September 2014, road link to isolated hamlet consisting of approximately 45 villages namely Ram Bagh, Kullaian, Sura Chack, Ganshau Chak, Kirpollpur, Nandian, Mandal Fillan, Sardare Chak, Wazir Chak, Top, Sumh, Haripur, Takutera, Suanjian, Mukuial, Lohra Kalian etc. across the Tawi river was disrupted. To mitigate the problems faced by the public of the area, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir in December 2014 allotted construction of a 300-metre span pre-stressed concrete double lane bridge over Niki Tawi river on the upstream side of existing bridge under the Prime Minister Development Package to the Public Works Department.
The Chief Engineer, Roads and Buildings (R&B), Jammu allotted in December 2014 the work of construction of bridge to Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation Limited (JKPCCL) for an estimated cost of Rs 20.50 crore. The JKPCCL in December 2014 submitted the cost offer of Rs 30.25 crore for the project. The cost offer was not accepted by the R&B Department and the JKPCCL was instructed in December 2014 to complete the job within the sanctioned cost of Rs 20.50 crore. Accordingly, the sanctioned amount of Rs 20.50 crore was released by the department of R&B, Government of Jammu and Kashmir. The JKPCCL was required to charge administrative overheads at the rate of 10 per cent on the project cost. Records reveal that without the approval of the cost offer of Rs 30.25 crore submitted to R&B department, the JKPCCL allotted on the recommendations in April 2015 of contract committee of Jammu and Kashmir government the work of construction of the bridge to a contractor namely M/s A. K. Construction, Builders and Engineers at an estimated cost of Rs 21.72 crore on turnkey basis.
The construction work of the bridge was taken up in November 2015 by the contractor and completed in March 2017, for which the JKPCCL had incurred till March 2020 an expenditure of Rs 20.13 crore. Accordingly, the applicable administrative overheads work out to Rs 2.01 crore. However, executing the work for construction of bridge without the approval of revised cost resulted in short realisation of administrative overheads of Rs 1.64 14 crore despite lapse of more than two years from the date of completion of the bridge. This affected the JKPCCL's profitability and its ability to meet administrative cost. The Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation however has stated to the government that the allotment for estimated cost of Rs 21.72 crore was as per decision of the contract committee and the actual cost of the project was Rs 30.25 crore and work allotted was well within the cost offer.
However, documents reveal that the claim could be nullified as the fact remains that the initial estimate of Rs 30.25 crore was not agreed to at the very onset that is in December 2014 by the R&B Department which was the Project Authority, and clear instructions to restrict the job within the sanctioned cost of Rs 20.50 crore was given. |
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