Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, May 25: Work for developing Tawi river front in Jammu city on the pattern of Sabarmati river front in Gujarat, is likely to be taken up very soon as the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) is all set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard with the Project Consultant.
The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who is Chairman of the JDA Board of Directors, gave his formal consent for signing of the MoU with Project Consultant- Sabarmati River Front Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL), which has submitted draft of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the J&K Housing and Urban Development Department for examining the same, authoritative sources informed the Excelsior.
The SRFDCL team, led by its Managing Director, is likely to visit the State this week for signing of the MoU with JDA while the Union Ministry of Water Resources Development has principally agreed to fund the project even as the JDA is planning to take it up on PPP mode, sources added.
While elaborating, sources said that in the first instance, a 2.5 km long stretch, between Bhagwati Nagar and Gujjar Nagar bridges is being taken up as pilot project for development of the same on the pattern of Sabarmati river front with an approximate cost of Rs 217 crores.
The Tawi River Front Development Project involves embankment on both sides of the Tawi with Diaphragm Walls, Anchor Slabs and Retaining Walls in the stipulated stretch on two levels. While the down level will be touching water thus giving a feel of the river, the upward level will have walkways, parks, gardens and other facilities.
During preliminary survey of Tawi river by SRFDCL team, approximately 10 km stretch, between 4th Tawi bridge at Bhagwati Nagar and Nagrota has been identified for development of Tawi river front in Jammu. On the instance of SRFDCL, Topographic Survey of 10 km stretch of Tawi river has been completed while the Geo-Technical Investigation is in progress under technical supervision of experts from Geological Survey of India.
Hirdesh Kumar Singh, the Commissioner/Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department and Mubarak Singh, Vice-Chairman JDA, recently visited Ahmedabad in Gujarat and had detailed meeting with SRFDCL team for chalking out the draft of MoU while officers from the Central Water Commission are being associated for hydraulic study and data of floods in preparing the Detailed Project Report.
Besides, sources added, all possible relevant technical data and advice from other expert agencies, including National Institute of Himalayan Studies for the project DPR, are also being taken. The important issue of flowing of city Nallahs into the Tawi and the treatment of effluent flowing into the river are being taken care of under AMRUT Project for Jammu city.
Even as the Union Ministry of Water Resources Development has principally agreed to fund the project, sources said the JDA is confident that the utilization of reclaimed land after embankment of Tawi river would generate sufficient amount of money for execution of the project in PPP mode.
According to Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, the work on Tawi River Front Development would start very soon and the required formalities for the same are being taken up simultaneously to avoid any delay in the project, which will be most beautiful gift of JDA to people of Jammu.
“The Development of Tawi River Front on the pattern of Sabarmati River Front will be a major tourist attraction in the City of Temples and a step towards developing Jammu as independent tourist destination for which this Government is committed,” he added.
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