Developmental projects facing delays due to unrest: J-K Govt

Jammu and Kashmir government today said several key developmental projects including the vital Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover here are facing delays and missing deadlines in view of the prevailing law and order situation.
"Various key projects are not only facing delays but massive cost escalations due to the prevailing situation as the labour from outside the state have abandoned the works and the machinery deployed by contractors is lying idle," Chief Executive Officer, Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), Vinod Sharma said chairing a meeting to discuss alternative strategies for completion of these projects here.
Construction of Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover and expressway corridor in Srinagar city has been abandoned as more than 600 skilled and semi-skilled labourers from outside the state left for their homes, leaving the work sites.

"Mobilisation of such a large number of skilled labourers is expected to take another three to four months which is likely to delay the project beyond March 2017 which is pertinently the closing date for Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan for the project, he said.
He said the meeting was also informed that the Sanitary Landfill Site Cell at Achhan aimed at city waste disposal has been delayed due to lack of availability of good earth, forcing the Municipal Corporation to dump the waste in open leading to unhygienic conditions. The project was scheduled to be completed by end of this month, the spokesman said.

Similarly, Sharma said projects like multi-storied mechanised parking facility in Lal Chowk, up-gradation of 27 Pumping Stations, construction of surface water drainage system in Athwajan along national highway bye pass, raw water pipeline from higher reaches of Doodhganga to Water Treatment Plant Kralpora were held up.

He said the storm water drainage system from Rawalpora Chowk to Chanapora bridge and other projects taken up by ERA with loan from ADB are also facing similar delays due to skilled and semi-skilled labourers abandoning the construction sites in middle of last month, lack of requisite construction material including cement, sand, good earth, and equipment at sites.

In view of March 2017 deadline fixed by the ADB, the government earlier this week had asked the ERA to workout plan for taking up construction work in double shifts as and when the situation normalises.
"Delays in these projects will lead to lack of requisite funding thereby depriving a large population and area in the Valley from vital facilities and projects which have been planned and under execution after hectic efforts of the government," Sharma said.