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| Rs 13 cr spent: Road blacktopped in November 2020, repaired thrice till date | | ‘Quality compromised in PMGSY road Mirshriwala-Tokrian’ | | Avinash Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 21: Huge money of taxpayers reportedly misappropriated in upgradation works of Mishriwala to Tokrian road by the PMGSY department. A month after blacktopping works completed in November 2020, repairing works on potholes and sealing of cracks has been carried out by the department thrice in a very short span of four months, just to cover up its sins.
The road was blacktopped in the first week of November 2020, but in December and January 2021 the road was repaired by the department to cover-up the fraud. “In first week of November, the department started and completed blacktopping on 2.5 kilometre long stretch between Mishriwala-Tokrian at a cost Rs 130.59 Lakhs”, sources told Early Times, adding that at several places’ road got cracks and potholes because of using substandard material.
However, as per the guidelines of the PMGSY under defect liability period (DLP) the contractor/ agency has to repair if any damage occurs to the road. “Under DLP for this road the PMGSY has Rs 15.38
Locals said that it was not a new road, but upgradation of existing road, for huge public money has been misappropriated by the department. “The department has spent Rs 130.59 lakhs for up gradation of said road. But the road itself speaks that even 10 percent of the sanctioned/released amount was seriously not spent for road works”, the local said wishing anonymity.
“We waited for over a decade for black-topping, but we got nothing out of the huge expenditure of Rs 13 crore. PMGSY has used substandard material for construction of the road. Foundation stone for upgradation of the road was laid by MP Jammu-Poonch Jugal Kishore Sharma on July 7, 2019, but the blacktopping was done in November 2020”, they said, adding that the concerned department has put lives of commuters at risk, also causing loss to state exchequer.
“PMGSY scheme was started to provide better road connectivity in rural areas, but the officials who are supposed to implement the scheme, have been accused of corruption. We are not experts but it has been learnt that very poor-quality material used in the road. The road is the life line of thousands of people, but due to the negligence of govt officials the purpose of the scheme gets defeated”, said the angry villagers adding that even the width of the road is not according to the norms of PMGSY.
“Corruption has taken the entire JK UT administration into its grips no one is taking action against the corrupt officers, who are involved in misappropriation of funds for various projects under different schemes. A common man has no say in this system. We appeal to Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and his Pr Secretary Nitishwar Kumar to launch a crusade against the Blacksheep to curb the menace of corruption”, regretted the villagers.
Chief Engineer, PMGSY Jammu Manzoor Hussain when contacted said, “I need to check the DPR of the road. I will seek a report from the concerned officer and if something found under specification, actions as per the rules will be taken”, he added. |
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