Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 27: Thanks to the dilatory style of functioning, hundreds of centrally sponsored road projects in Jammu and Kashmir are in limbo with untenable reasons being dished out by the PMGSY about the pendency of such vital works.
Documents in possession of Early Times reveal that out of 2,738 unconnected habitations as of April 2000, a total of 1,694 (62 per cent) habitations were connected during the period 2000-2018 and 1,044 (38 per cent) habitations remained to be connected. Out of 2,202 habitations sanctioned for connectivity by the GoI during the period 2000-2018, a total of 508 (23 per cent) habitations remained to be connected.
Furthermore, out of 196 habitations (Ramban: 20; Rajouri: 36; Udhampur: 87; Jammu: 10, Baramulla: 8; Ganderbal: 7; Kupwara: 7; Anantnag: 19 and Leh: 2) sanctioned for connectivity by the GoI during the period 2000-2018, a total of 85 (43 per cent) habitations remained to be connected. Out of unconnected habitations, a total of 112 habitations with a population of 1,000 persons and above, 276 habitations with a population of 500 persons and above, and 656 habitations with a population of 250 persons and above remained unconnected, which was required to be completed by the end of March 2003 and March 2007 respectively.
Furthermore, out of 139 habitations sanctioned for connectivity to 51 habitations with population of 250 and above remained unconnected. This is being attributed to disturbed conditions in the State and problems faced in acquisition of land, forest clearance and lengthy court cases; the targets could not be achieved. However, out of Rs 710 crore special onetime dispensation provided by the GoI for the cost of land acquisition covering compensatory afforestation, forest land, trees, private land and structures for completion of PMGSY programme, an amount of Rs 152.04 crore was still lying with the PIUs. Also, against an amount of Rs 370.70 crore released by the PIUs to the concerned authorities for acquisition of land, only Rs 44.51 crore was utilised/ disbursed for acquisition of land. Moreover, the department was required to ensure the availability of land before approval of DPRs by the competent authority.
Documents reveal further that out of total 2,579 road projects, comprising both new construction and up-gradation of road works (road length: 14,026.15 km), taken up under Phase-I, 1,567 (61 per cent) road projects (new connectivity and upgradation works) comprising 8,467.38 km road length (60 per cent) were completed as of March 2018, leaving a shortfall of 959 road projects85 (road length: 5,210.56 km), indicating improper planning for prioritisation of road projects and selection of new projects without ensuring timely completion of the existing projects. Also, against 2773 sanctioned habitations to be connected, only 2099 (76 per cent) were connected, as of March 2018.
Poor progress on the projects is attributed to non-acquisition of private land, diversion of forest land, shifting of public utilities, day to day hindrances created by local people of the area and court cases. However, the PMGSY guidelines clearly envisage that it is the responsibility of the State Government to ensure that land is available for the proposed projects. |
