Addl funds required to complete Training & Research Institute
Formalities being completed to handover projects to R&B
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 12: The decision of the Government to wind up Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation Ltd (JKPCC) has further delayed the completion of Inspection and Certification Centre at Samba and Institute of Driving, Training and Research (IDTR) at Kot Bhalwal in the outskirts of Jammu. Moreover, additional funds would be required to complete the infrastructure because of several flaws in the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that though most of the work on Inspection and Certification Centre (ICC) at Samba has already been completed by JKPCC yet certification of the building as per the norms by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is still pending and winding up of executing agency at this crucial juncture has caused set-back to the project.
“Being executing agency ever since the inception of the project the JKPCC was in a much better position to answer the queries of MoRTH in respect of certification of infrastructure for running the centre”, they said, adding “it would be only after certification that Ministry will be in a position to proceed with the installation of machinery”.
Disclosing that formalities are being completed for transfer of project to the Roads and Buildings Department, they said that it would be only after takeover of the project by R&B that MoRTH will be formally approached once again for certification of building.
As far as Institute of Driving, Training and Research at Kot Bhalwal is concerned, work on several components of the project is yet to be completed and winding up of JKPCC has put brakes on the same at least till the project is taken over by the R&B Department.
“Actually, the Detailed Project Report of this project was prepared in haphazard manner and due to this attention could not be paid on main components during all these years”, officers privy to the progress on the project said while wishing anonymity, adding “enough focus should have been paid towards construction of tracks for driving but JKPCC made most of the expenditure on raising of building”.
“This is notwithstanding the fact that Maruti Suzuki has already expressed willingness to install the necessary machinery and equipment. As most of the funds earmarked for the project have already been utilized, additional funds would be required to complete the project as such no time-frame can be specified for making this facility available”, they said.
They further disclosed that approach road to the site of Institute of Driving, Training and Research, proper drinking water facility and boundary wall aspects were completely ignored at the time of preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) and now the new executing agency will have to take care of requirement of these facilities.
“This project is also being handed over to R&B Department and at present formalities are being completed by the Transport Department”, they said, adding “since these two projects are on the priority list of the Government, all out efforts will be made to ensure their completion without wastage of more time”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, while chairing meeting to review road safety in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on February 25, 2023 had issued directions for completion of Inspection and Certification Centre (ICC), Samba and Institute of Driving, Training and Research (IDTR), Kot Bhalwal as early as possible.
Meanwhile, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police are installing CCTVs along the National Highways on war footing basis as per the directions issued by the Lieutenant Governor in the meeting held on February 25, 2023.
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