Gopal Sharma
UDHAMPUR, July 3: The only Rest House of the R&B Department at the tourist resort of Dudu Sub Divisional headquarters is lying in shambles while another one at Latti in district Udhampur is still incomplete even after seven years.
Sources in the R&B told the Excelsior that Dudu R&B Rest House with accommodation of three rooms was constructed by the R&B Department about 26 years back. It was fully furnished with good furniture including beds and Sofas. It was being used by the VIPs and the senior officers visiting this area. But within a decade this building due to lack of care and maintenance by the concerned R&B Sub Division Chenani and Udhampur Division turned into shambles.
The locals Sarpanch and some other people said that during militancy, most of the furniture items went missing gradually from the rooms. Even the taps of the bathrooms and other items fitted in kitchen and bed rooms have gone missing. The cracks have been developed on the roof and walls, bushes have grown around the Rest House and condition of this building has turned from bad to worse and no maintenance work was initiated by the R&B Department in last many years.
Interestingly the Latti Rest House of the R&B for which the funds worth Rs 15.75 lakhs were sanctioned by the then minister for R&B Jugal Kishore Sharma during 2009 could not be competed even after seven long years. Only ground floor of the building has been completed and first floor portion of the building has been abandoned. While the R&B officials concerned claim that they could not complete it due to shortage of funds, the locals of the area alleged that R&B is least interested to maintain and upkeep of its properties due to attitude of neglect of the concerned field staff from JE to AEE or X-En level. Another R&B Rest House at Basantgarh has been allegedly occupied by a revenue officer and the department has failed to get it vacated even after three years.
Executive Engineer, R&B Udhampur, Rajesh Gupta when contacted said that R&B Rest House at Dudu is old one and it needs lot of funds for its repair and upkeep. He said that he would send a proposal to the Chief Engineer R&B for the repair and upgradation of the same.
Referring to Rest House at Latti, Mr Gupta said that this building was incomplete because no funds were provided for the construction of remaining portion of the building. He said Rs 15.75 lakh was spent on the building and its first floor has been completed and some furniture has also been installed but first floor is yet to be completed and a proposal of Rs 17 lakh has been sent to the Chief Engineer R&B Jammu for its completion.
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