* Members seek House Committee, Chairman rejects
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 22: The Opposition NPP and the ruling coalition members today grilled the Minister incharge R&B Abdul Majid Wani and Minister of State for Power & RDD, Vikar Rasool on the issue of Ganpat bridge on river Chenab at Doda whose work has been abandoned and cost escalation has gone much higher.
The issue of this controversial bridge was raised in the Legislative Council by the Congress member Sham Lal Bhagat. However, the issue generated lot of heat from all the sides as members from NPP, Congress and even National Conference raised volley of pointed questions. Congress member from Bhaderwah Naresh Kumar Gupta and NC member from Doda Khalid Najeeb Suhrawardy sought reply from the Government on the delay being caused on the completion of the bridge.
They asked why work was abandoned. Who is responsible for huge cost escalation. Whether all the parameters were taken care of before alloting the work. Mr Suhrawardy asked, “ Itni Mehrabanian Kiyun. Why contractor was provided Rs 5 cr even before the allotment of work. What is the compulsion that Minister is maintaining silence and efforts is being made to shield the culprits. What action has been taken so far by Government? Has it fixed responsibility on anybody? Why people responsible for wrong doing went unpunished, the NC legislator asked.
Naresh Gupta said that Government must come out with clear reply. He said committee was framed about two years back and till today nobody was punished. This bridge was supposed to be completed in 25 months and till today its fate is uncertain. The people of the area have been deprived of the benefit. Public money is being misused. Why action was not taken till today against the culprits behind?
Dr Bashir Ahmed Veeri and Sheikh Ghulam Rasool from NC also sought straight reply from the Minister on the issue and asked about the outcome of the inquiry committee set up by the Government under the chairmanship of State Chief Secretary. They said that matter pertains to the public funds worth over Rs 30 crores. It is unfortunate that no responsibility was fixed upon anybody while the bridge was supposed to be completed in 25 months. The Members pressed for setting up of House Committee.
Minister for R&B Majid Wani assured the House that Government was serious to complete the bridge. He said the Chief Minister has already ordered an inquiry into the matter. Let its report be submitted. The action will be taken accordingly. He also assured the members to come out with reply on the issue during this session. He maintained that committees will further delay the pace of work. On the assurance of the Minister at the floor of the House, the Chairman rejected the demand of House Committee.
Earlier, responding to main question, Mr Rasool (MOS) said that JK State Power Development Corporation (PDC) has released an amount of Rs 12.53 crore to JKPCC, against the estimated cost of Rs 29.95 crore for the construction of Ganpat bridge. However, the work on the project has been held up since October, 2010. The Government has set up a high level committee led by Chief Secretary for making the project viable or suggesting an alternative for resumption of work on the bridge. The work on Ganpat bridge over Chenab will be resumed after the final decision of the Committee.
Referring to Trungal bridge, the Minister said PDC has taken up execution of bridge at the cost of Rs 15.36 crore against which an expenditure of Rs 6.95 crore has been incurred so far. Replying to another question of Sham Lal Bhagat, the Minister said that construction of the foot suspension bridge at Marsoo was initially taken up by PDC. However, on demand of local people it was decided to make motorable bridge by PWD. The DPRs were prepared proposing construction of 200 mt span single lane motorable balance cantilever bridge at a cost of Rs 27.11 crore. Moreover, Trungal bridge is targeted to be completed shortly, Mr Rasool added.
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