*Minor repairs ignored in many areas, Spl treatment to others
Mohinder Verma
-Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, May 8: No immediate end is in sight to the bumpy rides on majority of the roads of both the capital cities and major towns of Jammu and Kashmir as despite promising complete re-surfacing of thousands of kilometers of road length across the State, the Roads and Buildings Department is itself apprehensive about success of the tendering process in this regard because of varied reasons.
On the other side, minor repairs have been ignored in many areas of Jammu city and its outskirts while as special treatment has been given to roads in those areas where Ministers and top bureaucrats are residing thereby making it clear that convenience of Ministers is dearer to the R&B Department than the public comfort.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that as per the past practice the Roads and Buildings Department floated tenders for patchwork on the major roads of both the capital cities but the process had to be stopped because the PDP-BJP Coalition Government decided to go in for re-surfacing of all the roads in Jammu and Srinagar as well as main roads in the districts.
“Though the decision is a welcome step because of the fact that this move would give facelift to the capital cities and towns but leaving damaged roads unattended is creating problems for the commuters as even minor repairs are not being carried out”, sources said. With every passing day, the damages are widening because of pressure of the vehicular movement but people are asked to bear the bumpy rides in order to get resurfaced roads for which no specific time-limit has been fixed by the Government.
For resurfacing of around 1800 kilometers road length across the Jammu province, the R&B Department has floated tenders worth Rs 295 crore but the department is still apprehensive about success of this process because of varied reasons, sources said. “Since the Government has made conditions of tenders stricter in terms of specifications and accountability on the part of contractors, the R&B Department apprehends less response from the local contractors and is banking upon the participation from outside J&K contractors”, they added.
“Similarly, the R&B Department is expecting participation of sufficient number of bitumen plant holders from adjoining States as in Jammu and Kashmir the number of such plants is very less”, sources informed, adding “in case the bitumen plant holders and contractors from adjoining States don’t evince interest in the tendering process, the Government will face problem in ensuring re-surfacing of roads in capital cities and major towns”.
No doubt ensuring proper specifications of road resurfacing and making contractors accountable for maintenance of the roads for the period specified in the tenders is a welcome step but that doesn’t mean that Government allows damaged roads in the same condition for unspecified period by ignoring even the minor repairs and compel commuters to face bumpy rides, sources said.
“It is pity that Ministers, whose cavalcades too pass through badly damaged roads, are watching the situation as mute spectators and are not ready to ensure that R&B Department starts minor repairs in order to provide some respite to the commuters till the time the exercise regarding resurfacing of roads is taken to its logical conclusion”, sources regretted.
While majority of roads in capital cities and major towns remain in pitiable condition, preferential treatment has been given to certain areas particularly those where Ministers, top bureaucrats and influential people are residing.
Quoting one instance, sources said that road from Toph Bridge to Canal Head has completely been resurfaced only because some influential people and a Minister are residing in this area. Moreover, relatives of some engineers are operating some banquet halls on this road. On the other side, road connecting Subash Nagar, Patoli and Paloura with Toph Bridge via Best Price Complex has completely been ignored even for minor works.
There are numerous such instances to highlight preferential treatment to certain areas at the cost of other areas. Patoli Chowk to Rehari via Subash Nagar, Janipur Chowk to Ambphalla, several interior roads of Channi Himmat, Jewel Chowk to Talab Tillo road and Airport to R S Pura road are mocking at the R&B Department as even minor repairs have not been conducted till date.
When contacted, Chief Engineer R&B Jammu, Hamid Sheikh said, “for good cause the people will have to bear with us”, adding “the patch work was conducted in only those areas for which tendering process had been completed prior to bringing an end to this exercise and floating of tenders for resurfacing of all the roads”.
In response to a question, he said that re-surfacing will be completed by October ending as for two months the re-surfacing exercise would have to be stopped owing to monsoon season. However, he could not give any specific reply as to what would be the fate of roads which would not be taken up for re-surfacing prior to monsoon.
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