Commissioner Secretary Public Works Department, Khursheed Ahmad Shah and Chief Executive Officer J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency, Dr Raghav Langer, today reviewed the progress of Rs 1500-crore World Bank-funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery (JTFR) Project.During the meeting, it was informed that under the health sub-component Rs 89 crore has been earmarked for the construction of the state-of-art 120-bedded additional block at Bones & Joints Hospital Barzulla in Srinagar, adding that the block will be equipped with latest medical equipments, operation theatres, HVAC system, fire and maintenance among other facilities.Chief Engineer R&B Kashmir, Sami Arif, while giving details of the project in Kashmir, informed that under the higher education sub-component Rs 34 crore has been allocated for the construction of additional blocks at Government Degree Colleges Bemina, Anantnag and Bijbehara and Amar Singh College Srinagar, adding that works worth Rs 23 crore have already been tendered.It was also informed that under higher education, 53 schools are proposed to be constructed across the Kashmir valley, for which an allocation of Rs 35 crore has been kept.
Tenders for construction of 7 schools have already been issued and tendering for the remaining schools will be issued by the end of November this year.It was given out that 8 bridges are to be constructed in Kashmir for which an allocation of Rs 70 crore has been kept, adding that tenders for two bridges have already been floated. Similarly, 12 road projects having an approximate aggregate length of 117 km are proposed to be constructed in the Kashmir division.Chief Engineer R&B Jammu, Sudhir Shah, while giving out details about the project in Jammu division, said that 24 school buildings are proposed to be constructed in the division for which an allocation of Rs 15 crore has been kept and that the tendering process for these will be completed by mid-November this year. He also informed that 17 road projects having a cumulative length of 176 km are also proposed to be taken up.The CEO directed for expediting the process of documentation in order that works are tendered out and executed on ground at the earliest. He also directed for earliest preparation and issuance of the Expression of Interest for assessment of structural stability and detailed design for retrofitting of fire stations in Kashmir.Visiting team of the World Bank was also present in the meeting.