Advisor to Governor Kewal Kumar Sharma Sunday stressed for introducing advanced technology in maintaining and constructing roads and buildings in the state.The Advisor instructed the officers to speed up the pace of work on all ongoing PHE&IFC projects for their early completion.The Advisor said this during different review meetings with senior functioning of Roads and Building (R&B) and PHE&IFC Departments here today.The Advisor said that Kashmir valley has a limited working session and department should complete the projects on time so that people would not face any problem.He directed the officers that quality of materials should be maintained for the construction of projects. He also directed the officers that all the roads must be properly maintained who were damaged during winter months.Chief Engineer R&B Kashmir Sami Arif Yasvi, gave a detailed power point presentation of various projects being executed by the department in Kashmir valley.He said that a total length of 14628.75 Kms of roads is being maintained by the department during 2018-19. He said 1186 Kms have also been macadamized and 85 bridges have been constructed by the department.Chief Engineer said that under NABARD, 250 different works are being executed by the department and 26 works have been completed and remaining works are in advance stage of completion.Giving details about the languishing projects sanctioned by the Governor administration, he said around 221 projects have been sanctioned by the government. The Chief Engineer said that department is constructing 500 bed maternity cum children hospital at Bemina and the said hospital building would be completed during the current year. Apart from this 38 girls hostels under RMSA are been constructed and most of the buildings are in advanced stage of completion.
The Advisor was also briefed about the construction of Mini secretariat at Batamaloo.
The Superintendent Engineers of Srinagar-Budgam, Baramulla-Kupwara, Bandipora-Ganderbal, Anantnag-Kulgam and Shopian–Pulwama also attended the meeting.Meanwhile, the Advisor also took stock of the progress made in various projects under the PHE&IFC sector in Kashmir valley.During the meetings, the Advisor assessed the practical and ground level implication of the schemes along with financial progress.He stressed upon the concerned officers to conduct regular site visits to stay well versed with the actual situation and impending issues of their departments.He instructed them to speed up the pace of work on all ongoing projects for their early completion.The Chief Engineer PHE briefed the Advisor about the progress of ongoing schemes under minor irrigation sector, flood control sector, flood management programme, river management activities and many alike.The meeting was informed that 314 languishing water supply schemes are under execution at an estimated cost of Rs 580 cr under the special programme for completion of languishing projects. It was further informed that of these, 80 schemes shall be completed by the end of March 2019 at an expenditure of about Rs 125 crore.
The meeting was attended by Chief Engineer PHE Kashmir, Abdul Wahid, Superintending Engineers Civil of South, North and Kupwara, Superintending Engineers Mechanical South and North, all Executive Engineers of civil, mechanical and ground water divisions.In another meeting, the Advisor also held a review meeting of JKRRDA (PMGSY) Kashmir.Engineer Shaukat Jeelani Pandith, Chief Engineer JKRRDA (PMGSY) Kashmir, Farooq Geelani, Chief Conservator of Forest, Kashmir, Abdul Majeed Khan, Superintending Engineer PMGSY Circle Srinagar and other senior officers attended the meeting.
The Advisor was briefed that PMGSY Kashmir has sanctioned 1399 schemes for a road length of 5750.41 Kms out of which 847 with a road length of 3542.8 Kms have been completed.During the meeting it was observed that a lot of projects are getting delayed in the process of getting sanctions/clearances from forest department and therefore it was decided that one Divisional Forest Officer will be deputed against the sanctioned post to PMGSY Kashmir for speedy redressal of such cases.The Advisor desired a joint workshop of PMGSY Kashmir and Forest Department should be conducted for fast track clearances of held up cases. PMGSY Kashmir will also assign a nodal officer for liaison which shall be not be below the rank of Executive Engineer.It has been observed that there is lot of delay in land acquisition cases, the directions to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir will be issued to direct the concern DDCs for the speedy disposal of such cases. Moreover, necessary arrangements of funds for land compensation for roads sanctioned under Phase X to Phase XII will be addressed.The Advisor directed the chief engineer PMGSY Kashmir to ensure the quality control of road construction and desired to visit some PMGSY roads in coming days.Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Contractors Co-ordination Committee delegation also met the Advisor and raised various demands. The delegation informed the Advisor that they faced huge losses due to 2014 floods and they must be properly compensated.The Advisor assured the delegation that their demands would be considered by the department.