*Out of 10, two at its final stage, remaining will be completed by end of this year
Goldi Sharma
JAMMU, May 6: Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) has missed several deadlines to complete 10 multipurpose indoor sports halls which were allotted by Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC) to the executing agency in the year of 2016-17 under Prime Minister Development Package (PMDP) of worth Rs 40 crores.
Sources told Excelsior that out of these10 multipurpose sports halls, construction of six halls were allotted in the Jammu division including Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar, Reasi, Gool of Ramban district, and Poonch, whereas four of Kashmir division including Pulwama, Shopian and Pattan, but unfortunately the executing agency (JKPCC) has succeeded to complete only two multipurpose halls of Rajouri and Reasi districts and remaining would be completed by the end of this year.
“Although, in recently meeting which was organised under the chairmanship of Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan to review the progress of PMDP projects and found that nearly 10 multipurpose sports hall which were sublet to the JKPCC by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council for the early construction of these projects are still incomplete,” said sources while wishing anonymity, adding that after taking the stock of progress of these projects, the Advisor Khan directed executing agency to submit its report of each project on weekly basis, but ironically, the executing agency failed to do so.
An official of the Council said that only two multipurpose halls of Rajouri and Reasi were at its finals stage and soon will be dedicated to public but other ones such as multipurpose sports halls at District Poonch and Ramban (Gool) still completed at plinth level and for remaining works, the tenders have been floated by the executing agency recently, whereas the walls of multipurpose sports halls at Doda and Kishtwar were constructed at level of 40 to 50 feet. “If the construction work remains continuing at this pace, the two sports halls of the hilly district would be completed by the end of December, otherwise it will take more time to complete them,” sources added.
However, the official of the Council has attributed the delaying in construction the same of the hilly districts of Kishtwar and Doda to weather uncertainty, shortage of concrete materials post ban of mining in J&K, shortage of labourers during COVID-19 lockdown and delay in transfer of the land to the Council by the District Administration.
“It is the same saga of the four multipurpose sports halls which was allotted to the JKPCC in Kashmir division including Pattan, Pulwama and Shopian,” sources added.
Contradicting the excuses made by officials of the Council regarding the completion of sports halls allotted to the JKPCC, another sources said that the multipurpose halls which were constructed by the Council itself have been completed in above mentioned conditions that too stipulated time frame. “It is the lame excuses of the construction agency which shows inefficiency,” he added
It is pertinent to mention here that under the Prime Minister Development Package of worth Rs 400 crores, nearly 88 crores were allocated for the construction of multipurpose sports halls in every district of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir with Rs four crores each including one each at Kargil and Leh. “During the announcement of this package by the Prime Minister had mentioned that with the development of these 22 multipurpose sports halls, development of two primer stadium of Jammu (MA Stadium) and Srinagar (Bakshi Stadium) and others, the militant affected youth of Jammu and Kashmir can take the benefit of sports infrastructure to excel in their respective fields but due to nonchalant attitude of the sports body, the youth of the J&K is depriving to take benefit of it.
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