*10,000 villages suffer in wrangles between JKPCC, contractor
Gopal Sharma
KATHUA, June 18: The work on 532 mts span double lane pre-stressed concrete bridge over river Ujh, near Jathana and Jakhol villages of district Kathua, has been abandoned from the last more than two and half years following wrangles between JKPCC and contractor, aggravating the miseries of over 10,000 people from three Panchayats of Barnoti block.
Official sources told the Excelsior that this important bridge project worth Rs 45.54 crores was sanctioned by the Government during March 2015 under Central Roads Fund (CRF), during the period when the bridge of Kote Punnu was sanctioned. While the bridge of Kote Punnu was completed and made functional more than three years ago, this bridge near Jathana village jumped at least three deadlines and is incomplete even after eight years of its sanction.
The work on this bridge commenced during 2017 and three years time span was given to the agency, M/s V K Gupta & Associates from Chandigarh. Though project cost of the bridge was Rs 45.54 crores, the work was tendered at Rs 36.80 crores with 1875 mts approach roads, for 500 mts span bridge, sources added.
Sources further said that from very beginning, this bridge witnessed some unusual hurdles. Initially, 445 mts span bridge with 2550 mts approach roads was proposed but the site selected for raising this bridge was changed. The PW(R&B) Department un-trusted the work to JKPCC in March 2015. The proposed bridge site was shifted downstream as recommended by High Powered Committee of PW(R&B) Department in December 2015.
The shifting of bridge site to new location resulted in in-crease of span length from 445 mts to 500 mts. The bids were invited by the agency on design and built basis for 500 mts span of bridge and reduced approach lengths of 1875 mts at a cost of Rs 36.80 crores. The contractor started work in February 2017 and within one and half years more than seventy percent of bridge work was completed, leaving aside approach roads.
Interestingly, the agency JKPCC again increased the length of the bridge by 32 meters, to outflank the river banks to avoid direct hit of flooded river water of Ujh for the safety of the bridge. After this, a dispute emerged between the agency and the contractor and he abandoned the work, stating that it was not possible for him to execute work with the project cost of Rs 29.61 cr for 500 mt span bridge.
BDC Chairperson Block Barnoti, Ch Brijeshwar Singh (Indu) when contacted said that this bridge has been abandoned for the last over two years after some dispute between agency and contractor. He said sub structure of the bridge has already been completed and superstructure work was in the process of launching but in between the contractor left the work and withdrawn its machinery from the site. He said with this, a large number of students, office going employees and even patients are facing lot of hardships.
During floods, the people of Jathana and over a dozen hamlets and three Panchayats on that side of the bridge face problems. The students from Jathana and these hamlets come to study in Govt Higher Secondary School at Forlain. There is massive risk to their lives while crossing during flood. From bank side pillars, people climb with the help of steel stairs/ ladder. Even during recent floods, a weak hearted villlager, Krishan Singh of Jangerh hamlet, who was crossing over a narrow beam of this bridge died of heart attack.
The BDC Chairperson said that over 10,000 people of villages like Jathana, Barari, Jambali, Kulad, Khabbal, Tadwal, Kangli, Samundra, Mayali, Jangara etc have been affected with non-completion of this bridge. He said this bridge should have been completed before March 2020 but even three more years have passed, but work has not been resumed due to best known to the people at the helm of affairs. This is the most popular demand of the people of this area.
Managing Director of JKPCC, R K Shavan when contacted said this bridge was delayed due to change of site and then increase in the length of span by 32 mtrs. ” We have sent revised cost of the bridge to the R&B authorities and the Chief Engineer R&B Jammu has forwarded to the Principal Secretary for clearance. The revised cost is now Rs 31.20 crores instead of Rs 29.61 crores for 532 mts span bridge. The proposal was sent on May 27, 2023 and it is hoped that work will be started within a fortnight.”
When asked whether the same contractor was willing to work as he has shifted all his machinery from the site, the MD said that he has spoken to the contractor over phone and persuaded him to start work with revised cost. He has agreed to resume work, the MD maintained.
General Manager, JKPCC Sushil Kumar, however, said that all the hurdles have now been re-moved. This project was sanctioned under CRF and then shifted to Languishing Projects. The new revised proposal was sent for clearance to the higher authorities in R&B and work is likely to resumed maximum within 15 days on this project and it will be completed by next six months including approach roads, the GM claimed.
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