Tawi pilot project aiming at developing Tawi River Front seems to have been revived after a lull for a long period. The one good thing about the proposed project is that the State Government has requisitioned the expert services of the Sabarmati River Front Development Corporation of Gujarat that proved of tremendous success to that State. Successive high level review of the scheme has taken place and the experts as well as the project mangers including the consultative agency visited the Tawi Front and examined the situation on ground. The main purpose of the project is to make the Tawi Front attractive and suitable for visitation by the citizenry as a place of picnic and excursion.
We understand that the authorities are examining the technicalities of the project so as to increase the length of the front from 2.5 kms to more than three kilometers by extending both the ends beyond fourth Tawi River Bridge at Bhagwati Nagar and Gujjar Nagar Bridge. We also understand that the project includes equal distribution of water flow in the Tawi as well as the Nikki Tawi Rivers so as to protect the walls from crumbling under the pressure of flood waters. It is also envisaged to re-locate the Sewage Plant near Ware House. The high powered committee that was finalizing the project also took note of the fact that the embankment on the left bank of Tawi needed to be extended 200 to 300 feet downstream of Bhagwati Nagar to ensure that no damage was caused to the Jammu airport if the river was in spate at any time during the rainy season.
We are happy that a long delayed project has been taken in hand afresh. More satisfying is the fact that an expert agency has been invited to make suggestions and they have taken the right decisions that would secure the river front and also contribute to its beautification. We hope funds will be released for the project and work will start without delay.