Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 17: The artificial lake project worth Rs 70 crore on river Tawi in the winter capital city here is likely to jump another commissioning deadline of December 13, 2013 as nearly 15 percent civil works are yet to be completed besides over 40 percent mechanical works while work on diversion of 15 city nallahs and big drains, is yet to be commenced by the UEED authorities.
This prestigious city beautification project has already jumped July 2013 completion target and is likely to jump yet another deadline of December 2013 as five gated structures on Nikki Tawi side have not been completed and majority of the mechanical works on this side having 20 such structures are yet to be performed. The delay behind completion is also being projected by the Irrigation and Flood Control authorities because of breaching of protection bund in river Tawi during flood in August this year. Due to this, the work could not be executed on the project for over one and half month. The work was resumed on this project hardly on September 15.
As it took nearly six months time to the concerned agency to raise six gated structures on Nikki Tawi, it was enough indicative that work is unlikely to be completed in the targeted time on remaining gated structures besides launching gates and raising gang way over the gates by December this year. Insiders in the department claim that the project is likely to be commissioned by March 2014 and there are very bleak chances of being completion by December. They maintained that commissioning of this prestigious artificial lake project is unlikely by December 2013 by all means.
Even after the completion, the pondage will not be created in the river as still nearly 15 dirty city nallahs with carrying massive filth/garbage are directly flowing into the river. They will create filth and dirt prone lake with highly polluted water until these nallahs are diverted as planned under the project.
Sources said that Rs 23.10 crore project for diversion of these 15 nallahs has been submitted to the Government by UEED but funds have not been made available for the same and work could not be started so far. By all means, this project is again going to be delayed by at least one year after December.
In November 2012, the then minister in-charge PHE, I&FC Taj Mohi-ud-Din and even the Chief Engineer, Irrigation KK Gupta had claimed that all civil works will be completed four months ahead of schedule of July 2013 but the work on five remaining structures, indicated that much efforts are needed as yet on the Nikki Tawi side. And therefore, agency is unlikely to finish this work even before coming December.
While all the 11 gated-structures along Baddi Tawi (Bhagwati Nagar side) of the river have been completed, out of the total 20 such gated structures on Nikki Tawi (Beli Charana side), fifteen are now ready while work on the remaining five structures is going on. The Department of Irrigation and Flood Control (J&K) is monitoring the entire work on the project closely. The construction of auto-mechanically operated gated-barrage having length of 370 mts and height of 4 mts with sluice gates across river Tawi, 900 meters down stream of the main Tawi bridge with RCC base, spill way, gang way, guide bunds etc for creation of pondage up to Gujjar Nagar bridge, is being executed by Hyderabad based M/s GVR Infra Project Ltd company.
The sources in the department said that due to stoppage of flow of funds after March this year, the pace of work on the project was also affected. Due to non-availability of funds, the agency carried work at snails pace while it was earlier being executed on double shift basis. For the last two years no funds under 13th FC were made available to the I&FC Department for early completion of this important city beautification project.
Chief Engineer, I&FC, V K Badyal associated with the project told the Excelsior that all the 11 gated structures on Baddi Tawi side, having total length of barrage nearly 130 mts, have been completed. The process of mechanical works which include, fitting of gates and its operation system with pulleys will be started after the water level recedes in the river.
All the gates have almost been fabricated at the site and these will be operated upon manually as well as automatically. He said all these gates have been fabricated and the work of launching of gates will be started shortly on Baddi Tawi side. Over 95 % civil works on this side stood completed while on Nikki Tawi side, about 80 % work has been executed. At least 2 months time is needed for mechanical works also but the rainy season affected the progress on the project. The project is unlikely to meet the deadline. It may go beyond December this year, he apprehended.
Replying to another question regarding paucity of funds, Mr Badyal said financial crunch was still there. Nearly fund to the tune of Rs 45 crore have been spent on this Rs 70 crore project. Under 13th Finance Commission, no funds were received during this year. Moreover, Rs 7 crore was the immediate liability of the firm engaged on work. He said the GVR agency has performed good work but flow of funding was bit slow. Under 13th FC the State had to get Rs 25 crore and only Rs 6.25 cr was received during first year.
Nothing was provided this year and even during last. Rs 24 crore was still balance amount yet to receive for the project. Planning Department has assured to provide Rs 5 crore for the project now. He claimed that work on the project was going on and his team of engineers was supervising the over all work. He further claimed that from Monday, the normal work has been again commenced at the site by the company.
Another senior official said that length of barrage on the Nikki Tawi side was about 240 mts. There are 20 such gates with dimensions of 10 mts width and 4 mts height each. Nearly 16 gated structures have been completed. Total length of barrage/ lake will be 1540 mts, up to Gujjar Nagar bridge while the pondage of nearly 0.0011 Million Acre Feet (MAF) water will be created.
In case of flood, all the gates will be opened and it will take three and half days to again create pondage up to 4 mts height, he added.
He further disclosed that this Rs 70 crore project is coming up with Rs 25 crore Central assistance, Rs 25 crore is awarded by the 13th Finance Commission while rest, Rs 20 crore has been arranged from the State Planning Department. The work was started on July 22, 2010 on the project and till date, funds to the tune of nearly Rs 45 crore have been spent on it. Out of the Rs 25 cr 13th FC share, hardly Rs 6.25 crore has been received so far while rest of the amount is pending. As and when the share of over Rs 19 crore is received from Centre, the progress will further improve.
When asked that some big drains/nallahs of the city are still directly pouring into the river and they may create pollution in the lake in future, he said, “We have requested the UEED and the Housing and Urban Development Department to divert these ‘nallahs’, down stream the pondage near Gole Gujral. Rs 23 crore are being spent on the diversion of these nallahs by UEED but they have yet to start the work, he added.
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