JK govt cancels Jammu ropeway project tender after controversy

The Jammu and Kashmir government has cancelled a tender for Mubarak Mandi-Bahu Fort ropeway project after a controversy erupted over inclusion of the name of a non-existent place in it.
Taking a serious view of insertion of 'Shahabad', a non-existent place, in the tender notice for the project, state Tourism Minister Priya Sethi cancelled the tender and ordered a probe.
"The name of the project was Mubarak Mandi-Peerkho-Bahu Fort Ropeway Project. It should have been the same name in the tender. I have ordered cancellation of the tender," Sethi told reporters in a press conference here today.
She said the department has taken steps to find the person who was responsible.

"We are try to figure out under what circumstances he did it. As as per the official records of 2015, it is Bahu Fort- Mubarak Mandi Ropeway Project and it will remain the same," she said, adding there is no word 'Shahabad' as per the revenue records.
"We will go according the revenue records. It is Bahu Tehsil and Mubarak Mandi-Peerko-Bahu Fort ropeway project," she said.

In its notice inviting tender for the construction of a wall, issued by the J&K State Cable Car Corporation Limited on March 17, the corporation has named the Bahu Fort area as "Shahabad Station of Cable Project at Shahabad, Jammu", triggering a controversy.

The people of Jammu protested against the change in name of the Mubarak Mandi-Bahu Fort cable car project to the Mubarak Mandi-Shahabad project alleging it an "attempt to change the demography" of the winter capital of the state.
Several political parties and social organisation including the Congress, the JKNPP, Team Jammu, Dogra Front staged protests.
Terming change in the name of the project as an attempt by "some elements in the government to create a religious divide", state Congress Chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma expressed surprise over the BJP's silence on a "highly sensitive and religious issue".
Also, activists of the National Panthers Students Union (NPSU) today burnt the effigy of the state government to protest against alleged hurting of the sentiments of Jammu people.

Sethi said that the government was trying to make Jammu an independent tourist destination.
"The previous governments have no right to raise questions on the injustice done by them. They are politicising issues. Now they are resorting to street protests. What was the standard of education, tourism during their rule?" she said.
Sethi said out of Rs 500 crore tourism projects, Jammu has bagged Rs 300 crore and we are working on it.
"Rs 150 crore project has been sanctioned for Patnitop ropeways and Rs 80 crore such project for Shiv Khori. We are going towards development but opposition does not digest our journey towards development," she added.