Gopal Sharma
-Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, Jan 29: The winter capital city of the State, also known as the ‘City of Temples’, has now virtually turned into the `city of traffic jams’ as the flyovers, road widening, creation of alternate roads and of course, the effective traffic regulation is apparently not the priority of the State Government.
This fact is known to all, because a Fly over project worth Rs 30 crore which was approved and sanctioned by the State Government on B C Road during 2007, connecting Shakuntla Crossing with Rehari Chungi and Ambphalla near Petrol Pump, easing traffic load on this bottle neck and also on New Plot- Janipur- Highway Court Road, was dropped merely on the ground that State declined to bear the cost of land compensation to the people whose land was to be acquired for the project. Asian Development Bank (ADB) had agreed for the funding of this project, but due to attitude of neglect, ignorance and discriminatory towards people of Jammu, the project of much importance was allowed to be dropped even after the long wait of nearly six years.
Not only the NC-Congress Coalition Government, the two former BJP legislators from Jammu West, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, Ashok Khajuria from Jammu East, besides the former Cabinet Ministers from Jammu region who were recently rejected by people, are equally responsible in the eyes of the people of Jammu, as they failed to play any positive role and wage a struggle for securing this project. Rather, they remained mute spectators and allowed the project to be dropped. On the other hand it was taken up at Bikram Chowk-Gandhinagar, where the road is already six -lane and there is no much traffic congestion problem.
Highly placed sources in the R&B Department and ERA disclosed that BC Road-Shakuntla Crossing-Rehari Chungi-Ambphalla Flyover project and Jewel Chowk-Canal Road projects were prepared and forwarded to ADB for the funding, under Trench-I of Loan -II Sector of the JKUSDIP Scheme. While Rs 30 crore project for BC Road up to Amphalla was sanctioned in 2007 by the ADB, the other one could not be cleared as some technical issues were involved. For BC Road -Rehari Chungi- Ambphalla flyover project, a compensation amount of Rs 35 crore was prepared and nearly 130 structures had to be fully or partially removed to acquire nearly 18 meter land including 9 meters each on both sides.
The State Government had to pay the compensation as part of the project and it was reluctant to pay the same. For the six long years, the Government failed to act and take a decision on the execution of project and ultimately, the ADB told the Government that since State is not interested, the project will be dropped. So this project had gone from the hands in July 2013, as it was not seriously handled by the people at the helm of affairs.
Insiders in the department also alleged that this project of much public importance also fell victim to the political conspiracy as some people whose land was being acquired for the project, having connections in the power corridors created hurdles and derailed the project for vested interests. Sources said that the ERA team conducted survey and it was found that out of the 130 structures being acquired many people were found in possession of State land illegally. They were not supposed to get the compensation of the land of which they were not the owners. Apprehending their losses, they created a lobby and managed to get the project stalled.
Chief Executive Officer, ERA Tehseen Mustafa when contacted said that this project worth Rs 30 crore from Shakuntla Crossing to Rehari and Ambphalla was dropped by ADB as the required land could not be made available for the project in time. He said for this 30 feet land on the left and 30 ft on right side of the BC Road was to be acquired.
The space for at least eight lanes is required to raise the flyover. Replying to a question he said no such project was prepared by ERA for Jewel Chowk -Canal Road flyover but another flyover project from Bikram Chowk to Gandhinagar worth Rs 95 crore has been taken up by the agency. He admitted that BC Road project was of much importance but maintained that if the Government is interested, it can manage funds from anywhere. He maintained that this project had been dropped much before, he took over as CEO.
Former R&B Minister and president Dogra Saddar Sabha Gulchain Singh Charak said that both the projects of B C Road-Rehari Chungi and Jewel-Canal Road were taken up with the initiative of the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. He said the DPRs were prepared and for the task R&B and ERA engineers worked together. ” I myself being R&B Minister convened several meetings in this connection and took personal initiative. It is unfortunate that both these projects of great importance for the people of Jammu were allowed to drop. The consequences of this neglect and non-serious approach of the people at the helm of affairs are being faced by the public of Jammu in the form of massive traffic jams and congestion.
” There was no need to spend Rs 95 crore on Bikram Chowk-Gandhinagar flyover project now as there already existed six lane quite wider road. Moreover, after construction of 4th bridge over Tawi, connecting Ware House area with Bhagwati Nagar, the construction of this flyover was irrelevant. The traffic load has been eased after opening this alternative road to new bridge. This project caused extensive damage to the Kala Kendra also. Old city projects were more important than Gandhinagar flyover project and the later could have been delayed for couple of years, as there was no much problem at this stretch. It is the result of ill-planning on the part of some people at the helm of affairs,” Mr Charak maintained.
MLA Jammu West, Sat Sharma said that massive traffic jamming at Rehari Chungi-Ambphalla-New Plot-Janipur and Jewel Chowk-Canal Road-Talab Tilloo has become routine now. The people are suffering badly and the Administration has failed to provide any relief to the people so far. The patients remain trapped for hours in jams and the school -college students besides employees reach late being caught in traffic jams.
There is urgent need of flyover at BC Road-Rehari Chungi-Ambphalla and even in New Plot and Jewel Chowk- Canal Road- Talab Tillo stretch. These flyovers could have been raised about a decade back. Neither sufficient alternate roads were created nor encroachments removed. Rather agencies (JMC/JDA) encouraged this menace aggravating public problems. No serious planning was witnessed in last 12 years to make Jammu free from traffic congestion and traffic jams, he added.
The MLA further claimed that flyovers and creation of alternative roads in old Jammu city would be his priority as during election campaign he already has promised this with the people. ” In Delhi there is BJP Government and I will take up the issue with the concerned Ministry forcefully to get the projects sanctioned for Jammu,” he maintained.
M K Bhardwaj, president Bar Association Jammu said in the absence of flyovers and alternative roads, the people of Jammu are facing lot of hardships. He said on Rehari-Ambphalla-New Plot-Janipur High Court road, traffic jams have become routine now. The State planners have failed to deliver and provide relief to the victimized public. Lawyers, office goers, students and even the ambulances rushing patients to hospitals are caught in traffic jams for hours. This flyover should have been raised about a decade back. There is urgent need to create flyovers and alternative roads to ease traffic congestion in Jammu city. He said near Ambphalla Petrol Pump T-Junction several accidents take place as this point is very dangerous and ill-planned by the town planners.
Mr Bhardwaj maintained that he has also filed a PIL in the State Court realizing seriousness of the issue. It is hoped that some strict directions would come from the Judiciary for the State Government to take cognizance of the alarming situation developed in Jammu city with traffic chaos and nuisance.
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