Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 27: People from Akhnoor, Khour and Pargwal, including large number of BJP activists led by MLA Akhnoor Rajiv Sharma today conducted `Gherao’ of the office of JKPCC agency of R&B Department and staged massive protest demonstration and day long dharna at Rail Head Complex here today.
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These people were shouting slogans against State Government and the top officials of R&B Department and JKPCC for causing delay in the construction of longest bridge worth Rs 205 crore over river Chenab, connecting Pargwal directly with Khour and Akhnoor Sub Divisional Headquarters. They also raised slogans against the R&B Minister Naeem Akhtar, Commissioner/ Secretary R&B, Sanjeev Verma and JKPCC Managing Director Dalip Thussu. They alleged that some top officers and people having vested interests in the Coalition Govt, were trying to derail an important bridge project of Jammu’s interest.
MLA Rajiv Sharma was leading the protest demonstration and `Gherao’ of the JKPCC complex. The BJP activists including Block Committee members from both the constituencies including Pargwal and locals of the area came to Jammu in own vehicles/ tractor trolleys and assembled at the office complex of JKPCC at Rail Head Complex at around 10.30 am. They entered the office and made all the employees to come out, claiming that they were going to lock them all. All the employees came out in the lawns and protesting people sat on dharna at the main entrance and restricted the movement of the employees inside for several hours. The normal work in the office was also badly hit. Though BJP activists from Chhamb constituency participated in the protest in large number but their MLA could not make it being occupied in SC Morcha meeting held at party headquarters.
Talking to media at the JKPCC complex, MLA Akhnoor Rajiv Sharma alleged that this project of Jammu’s interest is being sabotaged by the MD JKPCC and some top bureaucrats on behest some vested interests within the Government and outside for the last 18 months. He alleged that entire funding worth Rs 205 crore is being provided by the Central Government for the longest ever bridge in the State over river Chenab. Moreover, this is the two decades old demand of the people of this area. Despite this, the tenders are not being finalized by the contract committee on `flimsy grounds’.
The BJP MLA further said that technical bid was cleared about ten months back and now only financial bid has to be opened by the committee headed by Managing Director JKPCC but he again has created new drama by setting up new committee of Chief Engineers by influencing Commissioner/ Secretary, which is yet another attempt to delay and sabotage this project. The MLA said he along with MLA Chhamb, Dr Krishan Lal and State BJP chief Sat Sharma and two more MLAs met the Chief Minister about month back and also to the R&B Minister Naeem Akhtar twice over this issue, but their directions are also being ignored by the people at the helm of affairs. He demanded that MD should be removed immediately and financial bid be cleared without out any delay. In coming days, Akhnoor, Khour and Pargwal people will come out on roads and intensify agitation if the concerned minister and CM remained slept over the matter, the MLA maintained.
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