‘Country’s first highway village will be ready at Udhampur shortly’
Avtar Bhat
UDHAMPUR, Feb 13: Union Minister in PMO with Independent charge of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that historic Rs 190 crore river Devika project under construction at Udhampur town will be completed by June this year while India’s first Highway village near Garhi is also going to be ready by this year.
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Dr Jitendra Singh made this announcement while talking to reporters at the sidelines of DISHA meetings of Udhampur and Reasi districts here today. He said Devika project as North India’s first ever river rejuvenation Project on the lines of Namami Ganga, will offer a unique destination both to the pilgrim tourists as well as recreation tourists. In addition, it will have a state of art cremation centre. This will bring Udhampur promptly on India’s map, he added.
It may be recalled that the foundation stone of the Devika project was laid online by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Minister said the work on project was however partly delayed due to COVID and partly due to lapses on the part of early contracting agency. However the agency was taken to task and panelised for the lapses, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said “River Devika a National Project in Jammu & Kashmir is going to reflect our collective pride and faith. Therefore, it was important that the concerned authorities executing the work take all sections of society in confidence, regardless of ideology or political affiliation, so that when this project is accomplished, it is seen not only as a role model for similar other projects in other parts of the country but should also signify a sense of harmony and unity which river Devika has symbolised over the centuries,” he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh he had made it clear to the constructing agency that there should not be any compromise in the quality of work and at the same time there should be no hesitation to receive logical suggestions or inputs coming from any quarter. He said, he visualised the historic Devika Project not only as a project of faith but as a monument of consensus and conciliation.
Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that he had conducted a thorough review of the project from time to time and during all the review meetings he had emphasised on increasing the pace of work to make up for the time lapse on account of COVID pandemic and had also stressed the importance of optimum coordination between the executing agency and the Engineering wings. “I have always stressed the importance of monitoring the project on a regular basis”, he added.
Under the Centrally funded Rs.190 crore National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) Devika project bathing “ghats” (places) on the banks of the Devika river will be developed, encroachments will be removed, natural water bodies will be restored and catchment areas will be developed along with cremation ground.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the project included the construction of three sewage treatment plants of 8 MLD, 4 MLD and 1.6 MLD capacity, sewerage network of 129.27 km, development of two cremation ghats, protection fencing and landscaping, small hydropower plants and three solar power plants. On completion of the project, the rivers will see reduction in pollution and improvement in water quality.
He said the Devika river also holds great religious significance as it is revered by Hindus as the sister of river Ganga.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the India’s first Highway village conceptualised by National Highway Authority of India will be ready shortly. It will be a multiple service destination and recreation centre on Highway, he added.
He said other Highway village was to be constructed at Kathua but that was delayed due to six laning of National Highway. But with the six laning of NH more highway villages will be constructed in that part, he added.
The Union Minister said that the MBBS classes in Udhampur Medical College will start most probably by April next year. “We had decided to start the classes for first batch of MBBS from April this year from a makeshift building but the NEET which conducts the examinations for admission to MBBS and other professional courses has not approved the same as it has its own criteria to observe and follow”, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh, however, said the work is going on and the building of Medical College will be ready by next year. He said the Kathua -Udhampur and Doda is the only Parliamentary constituency which got three Medical Colleges under Modi regime.
He said on the one district one product concept given by Prime Minster, Narendra Modi, Udhampur district has started work on `Khalhadi’ as its main product.
Dr Jitendra Singh said under the Sansad Khel Saparda which was inaugurated by him in Kathua yesterday, the concluding programme will be held at Udhampur and DC Udhampur, Indu Chib has been asked to finalise the same.
He said sports has not been now kept limited with games but to make it an avenue of livelihood for youth.
On the Delimitation Commission draft report, he said the final report is yet to come which will take some time. The final report will be brought in public domain. He said the suggestions from party leaders and activists will be submitted to the Commission by the Associate Members.
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