Administration/BRO team dismantles public utility project, Rajouri MC President expressed resentment

GNS ONLINE:
SHYAM SOOD
Rajouri, March 21:–“In an act of deep concern, the district administration Rajouri & BRO has dismantled under construction public utility project (passenger shed-cum-cafeteria, under beautification of chowks) at the entry point to Rajouri Township (Sailani Bridge) which was duly sanctioned & approved by the higher authorities,” said Mohammad Arif Jatt, President Municipal Council (MC) Rajouri.
“The project was conceived by the EX-DDC Rajouri Rajesh Kumar Shavan, who visited the spot, & had directed the MC Rajouri for the beautification of all the chowks leading to the town, including Sailani Chowk because it is the first contact point with the Rajouri Township for the outsiders,” said Arif Jatt.
The project was sanctioned with an estimated cost of Rs 40.68 lakh under NIT NO.122 of 2021-22 dt 29/12/2021 with an allotted amount of Rs 27.78 lakh and the contractor has already spent about Rs 11 lakh on the ongoing structure’s construction which was dismantled by the administration.
Administration said a team consisting of BRO officers and district administration on the directions of the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Vikas Kundal demolished an unauthorized structure at Sailani Bridge.
“Construction was in contravention of the Ribbon development act Samvat 2007, said concerned BRO officers and informed the said land had been acquired for construction of Rajouri- Thanamandi Road and was there on the already constructed steel bridge by BRO.
“After ascertaining the illegal encroachment, the team immediately demolished the structure,” he said.
Administration and BRO have also appealed to the public to construct buildings as authorised in the Ribbon development act Samvat 2007 and don’t create any bottlenecks in the way of development.
In this connection Additional DC Rajouri , Sachin Dev Singh on Saturday (vide order No.DCR/2021-22/PA/909-12 dt 20/3/2022) has also suspended Abdul Salam, Patwari Halqa Additional Rampur (Rajouri) for not stopping the alleged illegal construction despite the direction was issued through Tehsildar Rajouri.
Arif Jatt, President Rajouri MC said; “ The land on which proposed passenger shed-cum-cafeteria is under construction fall in Khasra No.1 and, as per revenue records, the said piece of land is a State Government land and not under the acquisition BRO. MC Rajouri is also a department of the government”.
The construction work (could be a violation of the Ribbon Act) was in progress 36 feet from the centre of the Jammu-Poonch highway and on the opposite side of forest land which is under the alignment of BRO’s widening process.
Surprisingly, just on the complaint of BRO, the administration has dismantled the under-construction structure without NOC from our higher authorities, Arif added.
‘All the Councillors will meet Vikas Kundal, DDC in this connection on Tuesday and will discuss all the issues related to this project in detail. We will (Rajouri MC) not hesitate to approach the Hon’ble High Court for justice, if the issue was not resolved” said MC President.
“The Rajouri MC will also raise the issue with LG Administration so that we may not face such situations as far as other public utility projects are under construction in the town or have been proposed or sanctioned,” said Arif Jatt.
Even today construction work in Bela colony has been stopped alleging that the State land has not been transferred to Rajouri MC, he said.
“Such action will certainly hamper the work on other public utility projects of Rajouri MC which are approved after hectic efforts of the councilors and inhabitants of Rajouri Township,” said Arif Jatt.
He expressed concern over the Administration’s action and termed it biased claiming that no such action has been taken on other projects (barring private constructions) where the works are in progress without formal acquisition of State/private lands including BGSBU .