GNSONLINE RAJOURI
SHYAM SOOD
RAJOURI, SEPTEMBER 01:–PW (R&B) Department initiated construction/widening work on this ICON BGSBU road project with a DPR cost of Rs.31.52 Cr without Accord of Administrative Approval (AAA).
-For third time in a month the students of BGSB University (BGSBU)/ inhabitants of Danidhar today blocked road for four hours at BGSBU Mor (turn) resenting awful and worst condition of 8 km long BGSBU road
-The contractor has spent about Rs 12 crore (1200 lacs) to date, but no payment till Thursday.
Worst affected are BGSBU students/ faculty/staff and inhabitants of more than 4 villages.
-UNO office, Station HQ (Army), Danidhar Fort, Central Intelligence Agency office, Doordarshan Rajouri, MBBS student hostels are also located on this important road.
-BGSB U’s admissions were badly affected during the current session due to awful road conditions.
On Thursday for more than four hours, till 11 am, the students of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University & other institutions supported by inhabitants of Danidhar 7 other wards of Rajouri MC protested against the worst and awful condition of 8 kilometer road connecting about 4-5 villages and BGSBU campus and blocked it.
It was the third protest by the inhabitants/students within in a month.
Protesters alleged when people feel uncomfortable while traveling in vehicles on this road, having bumpy surfaces and potholes filled with filthy water then what would be the condition of the pedestrians?
The district administration term this road (BGSBU double-laning road) as an ICON project, but the present condition of the road is posing a bad picture before the VIP’s, VCs, & Professors visiting BGSBU from across the country and abroad.
Requesting anonymity, a BGSBU official admits that the worst condition of the road has affected the admissions during current academic session.
Later senior district officers, including Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) reached the spot and assured that within 15 days (expecting Administrative Approval) the work on this road will be started.
Students warned of more such protests in the future if the assurance was not fulfilled within the stipulated time period.
Initially in 2004-5 road was constructed for a width of 6 meters having carriageway of 3 meters benefitting about 41000 souls indirectly/indirectly besides feeding various link roads of PWD/PMGSy/BRO and has also importance related to Defence, Telecom & Information.
After the establishment of BGSBU (in 2005-6) several deputations of prominent citizens met the then Principal Secretary Finance (PSF) for up-gradation on the nomenclature Rajouri to BGSBU.
Accordingly (as per details provided by the SE, PWD (R&B) office through DIO) DPR was prepared on the direction of PSF for an amount of Rs 3152 lacs & submitted to higher authorities for accord of Administrative Approval(AAA).
After the visit of the then PSF to Rajouri on January 30, 2019, Rajouri to BGSBU road project was sanctioned under Languishing vide LUP No-1943 in the 6th High Power Committee Meeting on 25/2/2019.
Details of the project provided by the office of SE PWD(R&B) through District Information Office.
Name of the work..Const/widening of Rajouri-BGSB University road
Sector/ Plan/ date & DPR Cost …Languishing (LUP 1943)/25/2/2019 /DPR Rs3152 lacs.
Balance sanctioned cost ..Rs2670 lacs.
Length…8 kilometers( 7 Kms flexible & 1 km rigid).
Compensation…250 lacs + land cost
Physical status as on date 55%…widening (7kms); G.S.B (4 kms); D-Xing (7 kms) & walling (6 kms)
Financial Status…NIL
Work done liability as on date ..1200 lacs (contractor already spent)
Major issues… (1)Accord of Administrative Approval is awaited (submitted to PFS to Government PW (R&B) Department vide Development Commissioner Works office letter No. PW/DCW/P3/224/2121 dt 5/2/2021.
(2) Shifting of utilities & (3) compensation.
According to details provided by the office of SE, PWD(R&B) Rajouri, the work on BGSBU road was started & executed by the contractor as per specifications.
The contractor has completed about 60% work proposed for rigid pavement (about 700 meters). As the project was sanctioned under Languishing for 2019-20 road project funded by JKIDFC, no payment has been released yet by the JKIDFC.
“The matter of the bad condition of the road/ resentment among masses is in the notice of higher authorities (informed).The matter has also been taken up with district administration,” said an official.
While admitting that the construction/widening work on Rajouri-BGSBU was initiated without Administrative Approval, Nissar Pandit, SE PED(R&B) Rajouri-Poonch circle said: “As the AAA is still awaited from the competent authority, the contractor is carrying on the work at a slow pace. We are expecting AAA within days as the matter was also raised by the District Development Commissioner,”.
“The work will start in full swing once the contractor will get the pending payment after the Administrative Approval within the next fortnight,” he added.
