Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 18: Minister for Roads and Buildings, Abdul Majid Wani today said that work on the Ganpat bridge, whose fate is hanging in balance during the past quite long time, would begin shortly. He, however, vowed to expose the politicians and officials who sabotaged the project.
The Minister was chairing a meeting in which T K Basu and V P Singh, consultants appointed by the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC), presented their detailed report regarding various aspects of Ganpat bridge.
Rejecting all the previous findings by IIT Delhi and CES Consultancy, the experts apprised the Minister that the stress level of both the existing pillars doesn’t exceed the permissible limit and with some minor changes in design and reduced load, the construction of the bridge can be resumed.
“The bridge is safe and after the further sub-soil investigation, the work can be started with the M45 concrete strength material”, they said and highlighted various shortcomings of those reports. They stressed that the new findings and detailed investigation by them makes it clear that Ganpat bridge can become a reality without compromising any safety concerns.
While issuing directions for completion of all the remaining formalities and resuming work on the project, the Minister said that Ganpat bridge is vital for the better connectivity and development of Doda. “It is unfortunate that the recommendations made by Mr Basu in 2009 were not adhered to by the Government for obvious reasons”, he said.
“Had the corrective measures suggested by Mr Basu been taken at that time the fate of the project would not have been hanging in balance”, he further said. According to the consultant the work on the bridge should not have been stopped especially after expending crores of rupees and M/s A K Constructions should have provided solutions instead of abandoning the work.
Stating that certain politicians and officials sabotaged the project for ulterior motives, the R&B Minister said, “we will expose all such persons, who scuttled the work on the bridge”.
It is pertinent to mention here that public of Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar prior to construction of Baglihar Power Project used to adopt the motorable road via Pul Doda adjoining river Chenab to reach their destinations. The 263 meters span balanced cantilever Ganpat Bridge across Chenab was mooted to provide alternate connectivity to the people of Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar.
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah had also ordered enquiry into the abandoning of work on the bridge and even constituted a committee to recommend administrative action against the erring officers besides necessary penal action against M/s A K Constructions, Builders and Engineers, which left the work halfway, sources said. They, however, regretted that nothing specific has come out of this initiative on the part of Mr Omar till date.
State Vigilance Organization has already been carrying out investigation in this regard while as State Accountability Commission (SAC) is also holding regular enquiry into a complaint filed under Section 11 of the J&K State Accountability Commission Act, 2002 in this regard.
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