Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 2: High Court today sought a report on completion of work on bridges in district Ganderbal from Jammu & Kashmir Project Construction Corporation Limited (JKPCC) and time frame for making these bridges functional for the general public.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Rajesh Sekhri while hearing the matter pertaining to the construction of bridges has sought status of work at one Tangehatri Bridge and the other Akhal Bridge in district Ganderbal from the executing agency.
It is in pursuance to the previous court direction an affidavit has been filed by the JKPCC indicating the progress of the work and Deputy General Manager, JKPCC Limited, who was present before the bench submitted that Tengehatri Bridge would be made operational within two weeks for the purposes of light motor vehicles and pedestrians and within another two weeks for the heavy vehicles also.
He submitted that the bridge would be operational in all respects within a period of one month by the end of August. Court directed him to complete the work and make the bridge operational and submit an affidavit on or before the next date of hearing.
Insofar as the Akhal bridge is concerned, Court has been informed that 65% of the work is already done but the remaining work could not be carried out as the contractor is creating some problems for which some necessary steps have been taken to cancel his work order so that the new contractor may be appointed.
“In respect to the said bridge, he may proceed in the matter, as expeditiously as possible and report by the next date of hearing as to the proposed time frame within which the said bridge would also be made operational”, court directed.
Earlier as large number of construction of bridges and other projects in Kashmir Province were either on halt or delayed due to lack of funds with the executing agency and the Government was directed to file the ATR with regard to making availability of funds to the executing agency in order to avoid any delay on completion of infrastructure projects in J&K UT.
The earlier report of JKPCC has revealed that the problem inefficient financial planning and release of finances to enable completion of public infrastructure projects and the court had observed that people must be facing extreme difficulty on account of the non-availability of the means of the connectivity as such the issues relates to the matter needs critical attention at the highest level.
As per JKPCC it was the only executing agency and the budget component in respect of all over the bridges under execution with JKPCC dominion is with project authorities like PWD and those funded by the World Bank. The court earlier had directed the JKPCC to inform it by giving details of the Bridges and Flyovers which are under construction by the agency along with the date of work allotted and original completion of date.
The said direction was passed to the Finance Department after the stand taken by the corporation that despite requests and imperative need for the funds, the same have not been released by the Finance Department resulting in unwarranted delay in completion of these projects.
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