Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 12: For the first time in the history of J&K, 86 State roads have been approved by the Union Government for the up-gradation and improvement under PMGSY while 176 roads of Doda region including Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar have been left out.
Highly placed sources in the R&B told the Excelsior that Centre has sanctioned a whopping Rs 2800 crore under Phase- 10 of PMGSY for the completion of many roads taken up under stage one in the whole State. Over 86 roads for the first time have been approved for up-gradation by the Centre under this Scheme.
For the entire Jammu province, a total 362 road projects worth over Rs 1997 crore have been approved under Phase 10. This also included 26 long span bridges, 186 roads under stage I and 120 roads under stage II. A total road length of 2639 kms will be completed under this phase.
The sources further revealed that during this financial year, Central Government has sanctioned Rs 2800 crore to the State under Prime Minister Grameen Sadak Yojna, which is highest ever amount sanctioned by the Centre under PMGSY to J&K. It is also for the first time that with the efforts of State Government, 86 State roads have been cleared for upgradation. Many existing roads will have their facelift with the funds provided under the scheme.
“There was need to devise some method to bound the contractors to complete the contract work from cutting to black-topping and the Government is seriously thinking on it. Many complaints have been received where contractors abandoned the works of stage -I after cutting and many were not prepared to take over the works of Stage -II,” the sources added.
Giving break up, the sources disclosed that 84 schemes have been sanctioned in district Ramban and Doda during the year 2016-17 which include 49 schemes under PMGSY ( Phase- X), eight under NABARD and 27 under District Plan. There are 1171 habitations in the State including 176 habitations of Doda region which have been inadvertently left out in the original core network.
The matter has been taken up with Union Ministry of Rural Development for incorporation of these habitations in the core network of PMGSY. Sources revealed that Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts which has the lowest road connectivity in the State, but unfortunately this region have been discriminated. There was strong resentment among the people of the area about it.
Chief Engineer PMGSY Jammu (Province), S P Manhas when contacted said that Chenab region needs much attention. On many roads in erstwhile Doda district, the work is going on but most of the roads could not be completed due to non-clearance by Forest department. Some mechanism is needed to be devised to ensure speedy disposal of such long pending cases, he said.
Manhas further disclosed that from Phase Ist to 10th , a total 1394 road projects have been taken up under PMGSY in the region. Of the total, 750 road projects were taken up in Stage Ist and 449 in Stage II. Besides this, 58 roads under combination of stage I and II have also been taken up. A total 89 projects of long span bridges were also approved under the scheme.
Giving more details, the Chief Engineer said in Doda district under 10th Phase, a total 36 projects under PMGSY have been taken up. Under stage I there are 13 road projects, 14 under stage II, six roads have been taken up for up-gradation and three are long span bridges. Similarly, In district Kishtwar, total 24 such projects have been taken up. They included 24 roads under stage I and II and one road for upgradation. In district Ramban, total 13 roads have been taken under phase 10th. A total 12 roads have been taken up under stage II, zero under stage I and just one road for upgradation.
In district Kathua, a highest number of 71 PMGSY projects have been taken up under the Scheme in Phase 10. They included 60 roads under stage I, six under stage II, three roads for upgradation including Billawar- Machhedi Road and two long span bridges. In Samba, a total 12 road projects and one bridge have been taken up. In district Jammu, a total 23 road projects for rural connectivity have been taken up under PMGSY Phase 10th. They included 12 roads under stage I, seven roads under stage II and four roads taken up for up-gradation.
In district Poonch, a total 38 road projects under Phase 10 have been taken up. They included two roads under stageI, 26 in stage II, three roads for upgradation and seven long span bridges. In Rajouri, the number of roads taken up are 68. While 18 are under stage I, 35 under stage II, seven roads have been taken up for upgradation and eight long span bridges. The funds sanctioned for district Rajouri are to the tune of Rs 278 crore under Phase 10.
In Udhampur district, total roads taken up under Phase 10 of PMGSY are 48. They included 42 roads under stage I, zero under stage II, five roads taken up for upgradation whereas, just one bridge as a part of rural connectivity in the district. In Reasi district, total 27 roads have been taken up, which included 20 roads in stage I, three under stage II and four long span bridges.
Responding to a question regarding very poor percentage of completion of these projects, Chief Engineer said that in some cases litigation was the reason while in majority of the cases, Forest clearance is awaited. He said funds for compensation or completion of projects is no issue with the department, but two above mentioned vital issues are creating hurdles in the completion of these road projects. He said in Dudu, Lati and Basantgarh area, about half a dozen such projects are awaiting Forest clearance since long.
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