Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 25: Minister for Roads and Buildings Abdul Majid Wani while replying to a Calling Attention Notice of Javed Ahmad Rana said that Sakhimaidan-Kalai road is actually 44 kms, adding that from km 0 to 21.75 the road was taken up for upgradation by ERA at a cost of Rs 18.98 crore in April 2007 under Asian Development Bank Loan. The completion date of the road was fixed as April 2009.
Mr. Wani said since the contractor did not perform well, therefore, the contract was terminated. The retendering was invited which was delayed due to stay order taken up by the contractor. He said after vacating the stay, retendering of complete scope of work did not materialize as the bids received were technically rejected by ADB.
The Minister said that in the 16th and 17th Governing Body Meeting of ERA, it was decided that work will be taken up in two lots. He said that it was decided that lot-1 Fair-weather road will be executed by J&K ERA and Lot- II Macadamization of road will be executed by PW(R&B) Department through State Plan funding.
The Minister said that it was also decided that after completion of lot- 1 works, the road will be handed over to PW(R&B) Department. The work of Lot-1 was tendered and completed on May 31st, 2012 at a cost of Rs 7.44 crore. This road was in process of being handed over to PW(R&B) Department, when Planning and Development Department authorized Rs 3 crore for additional works of construction of Chunga Nallah bridge and some additional protection on public demand to be executed by J&K ERA. The works are in progress and will be completed by June 2013, he added.
Mr Wani said that due to winter rains the road surface got damaged, adding that ERA is temporarily maintaining the road by way of filling pot holes and bad patches. The restoration of road surface is in final stages of finishing and the road at present is motorable.
The Minister said the road from 21.75 Km to 28 Km was approved under NABARD RIDF at an estimated cost of Rs 880.54 lakh against which an amount of Rs 796.56 lakh has been spent by ending February, 2013. A length of 3 Kms road is black topped, 2.30 kms is metalled, 0.80 kms has been made fair weather and earthwork on 0.20 kms in progress.
Wani said the part of the road from 29 kms to 34 kms has been taken under projectization programme at a cost of Rs 487.45 lakh against which Rs 31.89 lakh has been spent so far. He said 2.75kms road has been made fair weather. He said though the joint inspection has been conducted but the Forest clearance for Km 31st is awaited due to which work is held up.
The Minister said that the work on road from km 35th to 42nd was taken up under PMGSY Phase-VI under nomenclature “Surankote-Poonch road to Kalai Upper”, at a cost of Rs 390.88 lakh against which Rs 354.76 lakh has been incurred which is up to fair-weather status.
The rest 2 kms of road has been taken up under projectization programme at a cost of Rs 84 lakh against which Rs 22.38 lakh has been spent for constructing 2 kms fair weather road, he added.
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