Rarely are projects undertaken and supervised by the Public Works (R&B) Department of the Union Territory been completed as per projections . While in respect of sensitive projects like the longest bridge in Northern India over River Chenab at Pargwal in Jammu , extra care was needed to be taken in respect of monitoring and close follow up of the work on it on continuous basis, we observe that there seems to be no mandatory rules about the same. Besides, acquiesce for third part monitoring for better results are turned down by the concerned R&B authorities. That, we cannot heave a sigh of relief that the project is to be completed under a joint venture and leave things to be taken care of on their own, has amply been proved by the indications as well as the present position of where the construction of this bridge, otherwise needed for use sooner than later , have reached. It belies the tall expectations and claims having been made about this bridge to be operational by the end of the first quarter of the next year. Where have things gone wrong are not known or revealed at the spur of moment but only after host of problems get piled up to make things worse to be addressed easily. Could no assessment be made regularly as to which direction the work on it was going all these 30 months and only after as much time gone, it is known that barely 25 per cent of work is completed. No qualms about the telling effects COVID-19 pandemic had and even continues to have on projects where on the ground, physical involvement of labour both unskilled as well skilled , is involved. Most of the projects which are labour intensive and where physically work was to be done were, during phases of lockdown, either temporarily stopped , postponed or rescheduled . It is precisely for one of the chief reasons that such type of projects and even having direct bearing on Real Estate have suffered in terms of keeping to the timelines. Had on that count only, progress of the work suffered , it was no big problem as the period of lockdown was a temporary precautionary period and since almost everything is opened up and inching back to near normalcy, this project should continue to be “suffering” is beyond comprehension. It is fairly to be believed that due to utter mismanagement and losing the grip over such a vital project , it has suffered so much so that the people of the area longing for connectivity, have started indignantly enquiring about its fate and want work on it restarted at the earliest and with speed. Now, the vital question is about the erratic, unspecified and unpredictable mode of releasing payments to contractors and those executing works on different projects . We are afraid, as we have on specific instances reported too, that in many cases tendering process is not being responded to positively as most of the contractors especially from outside the UT feel ”reserved” about the funds aspect since the accounting ”goodwill” must travel wide in respect of the State and UT Governments run departments of Public Works. We are given to understand that in the instant case, a payment liability towards the contracting agency is withheld and not released . It is despite the fact that the said project is under Central Road Fund (CRF) which is unique in its reliability of being released by the Central Government for projects like the one under reference and is non- lapsable too . This fund meant to “fuel” infrastructural revolution like Roads, Bridges , National Highways etc and is on assured basis and despite that, the ”stigma” of not releasing funds owed to the construction company to the tune of Rs.15 crore by the UT Roads and Buildings Department has made things difficult as the contracting agency is not enthusiastic about resuming the work. Since most of the labour as well as the technical staff required to be in the field have started resuming their works as people, by and large, have adjusted with the pandemic and learnt how to live with it and carry on with the work, work on Chenab bridge by that standards, should have not only been restarted but the pace could have been upped so as to cover and compensate for the break in work as the deadline of March 2021 being met is next to impossible .Efforts should be made to look into the entire gamut of where and why things back to near normalcy, this project should continue to be “suffering” is beyond comprehension. It is fairly to be believed that due to utter mismanagement and losing the grip over such a vital project , it has suffered so much so that the people of the area longing for connectivity, have started indignantly enquiring about its fate and want work on it restarted at the earliest and with speed. Now, the vital question is about the erratic, unspecified and unpredictable mode of releasing payments to contractors and those executing works on different projects . We are afraid, as we have on specific instances reported too, that in many cases tendering process is not being responded to positively as most of the contractors especially from outside the UT feel ”reserved” about the funds aspect since the accounting ”goodwill” must travel wide in respect of the State and UT Governments run departments of Public Works. We are given to understand that in the instant case, a payment liability towards the contracting agency is withheld and not released . It is despite the fact that the said project is under Central Road Fund (CRF) which is unique in its reliability of being released by the Central Government for projects like the one under reference and is non- lapsable too . This fund meant to “fuel” infrastructural revolution like Roads, Bridges , National Highways etc and is on assured basis and despite that, the ”stigma” of not releasing funds owed to the construction company to the tune of Rs.15 crore by the UT Roads and Buildings Department has made things difficult as the contracting agency is not enthusiastic about resuming the work. Since most of the labour as well as the technical staff required to be in the field have started resuming their works as people, by and large, have adjusted with the pandemic and learnt how to live with it and carry on with the work, work on Chenab bridge by that standards, should have not only been restarted but the pace could have been upped so as to cover and compensate for the break in work as the deadline of March 2021 being met is next to impossible .
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