Gopal Sharma
-Excelsior/Tilak Raj
JAMMU, Dec 15: The prestigious Rs 600 crore Bhaderwah-Bani-Basohli road project may jump yet another completion target of 2017 as the BRO authorities (Project Beacon/Sampark) connected with the project, have claimed its commissioning now by 2019.
Strategically, being a vital road link, connecting Pathankote- Punjab, Dalhousie-Chamba in Himachal and parts of district Kathua, directly with Doda, Kishtwar and Kashmir Valley, if this highway is made through, it would serve as an alternative highway and would certainly promote tourism in Bhaderwah and Doda area besides parts of Kishtwar and Kashmir. The tourists visiting adjoining Himachal Pradesh would have direct access to Bhaderwah tourist resort.
With the commissioning of this road after a long wait of nearly three decades, the people from Doda and Kathua districts will have an all weather double lane highway as Border Road Organisation, popularly known as GREF, has given the completion target of 2019 for this prestigious road project.
With a 6.5 km long tunnel at Chattergalla through Seoj Dhar, on the eastern side of Kailash Kund pilgrimage in Bhaderwah, the road once made through, was likely to open flood-gates for the tourists from Punjab, Himachal, Delhi, Harayana and other parts of the country. Even the tourists visiting Chamba- Dalhousie and other parts of Himachal, would be attracted towards the picturesque valley of Bhadewrah, known as mini-Kashmir via this link. It will also serve as alternate highway from Pathankote to Kashmir via Doda and Kishtwar.
The work on this important road of double-lane specifications with length of 165.85 kms is in full swing. While BRO’s project Sampark (69 RCC) is engaged on 89 kms road project from Basohli to Bani, from Bhaderwah to Bani having road length of 76.8 kms project Beacon (114 RCC) has been given the task. From Basohli side, the Project Sampark of GREF has completed 0-40 kms of road, having total width of 12 mts with 7 mt wide black-topping.
Chief Engineer Project Sampak, Brig U C Mehta said though completion target of Basohli-Bani road was earlier fixed as 2015 and then 2017, yet the completion may be delayed by more than one year. The completion target is more tough for Beacon men as not much progress could be made on that patch between Bhaderwah-Bani due to some bottlenecks. The commissioning may be slipped by one and half year more.
He disclosed that this road was earlier with the State R&B Department but not much progress was witnessed for years together. Considering the capability of BRO for executing the works in such tough terrain conditions, the road was handed over to BRO during 1986. Even after a lot of challenges like extreme militancy and inhospitable weather conditions, this 165.85 kms road was finally completed by BRO as single lane un-surfaced specifications during 1993 and opened to traffic. Militancy caused the major set back to this project, especially on Bani-Bhaderwah stretch.
Giving further details, Brig Mehta said this 89 kms road from Basohli to Bani with five small and minor bridges will be completed with the estimated cost of Rs 250 crore. But with the jump in the completion target, the project cost also escalates. Forest clearance and land acquisitions are the major issues which affect the pace of work as they are much time consuming exercises. He disclosed that 50 km road up to Bhoond, has been completed from Basohli side. Again, on 50-60 kms stretch cutting work is over and formation works are in progress.
By next few months 60 kms road will be completed. He further disclosed that from 60 – 89 kms, the task is very tough due to high and rocky mountains but cutting work has been launched. Forest clearance is also another issue which caused delay besides land acquisition. For 70-89 kms stretch the sanction has been sent for clearance and the work on the remaining portion will also be launched by April-May next year.
A senior officer of Project Beacon, with headquarters at Srinagar, entrusted with the task of 76 kms road length from Bhaderwah to Bani, told the Excelsior that double lane work was started by BRO in 2003, however, during 2007 the Government decided to handover the work to State PWD (R&B) but they did not take over the work till end of 2009 due to unknown reasons. The work on this project remained suspended during this period. It was however, re-started by BRO in 2010 and it was put on fast track only after 2011.
He disclosed that Basohli-Bani-Bhaderwah road would ensure shorter connectivity with Pathankote (Punjab) and contribute to the over all development of Bhaderwah and Doda area. He said pre-feasibility report of 6.5 kms long Chattergalla tunnel near Sarthal has been submitted to DG BRO. The process of DPR for the tunnel was under progress. This tunnel may reduce the distance of road by 18- 20 kms. Infact, 3 three pre-feasibility reports have been submitted and one of them will be okayed. With this tunnel, this will be converted into all weather road link. There will be 12 medium and small bridges on the road, he added.
Replying to a question, he said the project would cost more than Rs 350 crores. The road work could not gain much momentum with the lack of much needed support from local administration for clearing encroachment along the road in Bhaderwah Sub- Division. At present concentration of work is in progress on the 30 kms stretch between 165 to 135 kms. He disclosed that with the induction of heavy excavators and additional machinery, substantial progress has been made. The road will be completed by 2017. There are nearly six villages in this stretch. Most of the people have been paid compensation and despite this, the local administration could not get the land encroachment removed. For the last several years, the BRO men are facing this problem. Even the intervention of Dy Commissioner Doda and SDM Bhaderwah was sought into the matter. Due to lack of coordination between the top level and lower level, the Revenue authorities failed to resolve this issue and get the land vacated. This is the major hurdle which the GREF is facing at this time and this is the main reason behind the yet another delay of 2 years in the completion of this project. Had the local MLA or MLC intervened, the work would have been accelerated.
Ashwani Kumar, Officer Commanding 114 RCC of BRO associated with the project when contacted said that nearly 86 kms road from Bhaderwah to Chandal closer to Bani was with the Beacon. He disclosed that due to major hurdles of land acquisition from Bhaderwah to 25 kms ahead, the progress of work has suffered a lot. He said during his last two years tenure here, he remained mostly exhausted in this work of land measurement/ demarcation work with the Revenue and PWD authorities. He said though construction work has been allotted to the BRO, yet the State PWD is the real owner. It is their responsibility to settle the issue of land acquisition/ dispute etc after taking up the issue with the Revenue authorities and hand over the road to BRO for ensuring early completion.
He disclosed that the several places formation, permanent works and forest compensation were under progress. Rs 25.40 crore has already been paid to the Revenue authorities (Bani) in respect of land compensation. Final award of Rs 6.5 crore of Chandal village has also been received. He disclosed that due to lack of support from the Administration in district Doda the pace of work has remained slow. There is problem even at the lower level including Patwaris and Naib Tehsildars. They are unable to clear the status even after a number of visits and exercises. There is encroachment on the land and people are expecting compensation even for the illegal encroachments.
Replying to another question, he said even during winter months, the work on the road project has to be stalled for 3-4 months. This is also another reason behind delay. However, he attributed the delay of another two years on the project to the lack of support from local administration in getting the encroachment removed and sought the intervention at higher level and local MLA.
Local Congress legislator from Bhaderwah Naresh Gupta (MLC) when contacted said as the work remained abandoned on this road project during militancy and many people encroached upon the road. He admitted that removal of land encroachment was the major hurdle in the smooth execution of work on the project. He said not only few villagers but a noted politician of the area is also defaulter and has encroached upon the road land. The Government can not pay compensation for the land grabbed by people. He alleged that Administration is the main culprit which failed to get the land cleared and hand over to the agency GREF connected with the task. He said there was urgent need of intervention at the higher level as the local officers like Tehsildars/ SDM would not help much in getting the land cleared from influential people. The Congress legislator further demanded that BRO being primer agency should come up to the expectations of the people and speed up work in other areas where road status is clear. He said the agency should complete the work by the commissioning date of 2017 by all means.
Dy Commissioner Doda, Mubarak Singh however, claimed that there are a few places between Bhaderwah and Nalthi where some houses are yet to be dismantled. The notices were also served to some people by the local administration. But the construction can be carried on at other major portion of this road project. He said slapping another delay of 2 years by BRO men is not justified. Who has prevented them to take up work at war footing at the remaining portion up to Chattergalla, Sarthal and Loang ? The DC said that compensation in a few cases is yet to be paid and there are a few disputes which are being resolved by the local administration.
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