Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar today asked for introducing advanced technology for maintaining and constructing roads and buildings in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.The Advisor instructed the officers to speed up the pace of work on all new projects and renovation of roads for completing these as per timeline. He was speaking at series of review meetings with senior functionaries of Roads and Building (R&B), PMGSY and JK Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) here today.He said that Kashmir valley has a limited working session for roads and other related activities so the executing agencies should complete the projects on time to facilitate the people. He directed the officers to use quality material and immediate restoration of roads damaged during winters.The Chief Engineer R&B (Kashmir), Sami Arif Yasvi, gave a detailed power point presentation on the status of various projects being executed by the department in the valley.He said that a total length of 15011 Kms of roads is being maintained by the department, while 45 road projects were completed during 2019-20 and the department has set a target of blacktopping 1100 kms of road by 2021.The Chief Engineer said that under NABARD, 250 different works are being executed by the department, adding that 45 projects will be completed this year.The Chief Engineer said that department is constructing 500 bed maternity cum children hospital at Bemina and it would be completed during the current year.
Apart from this, 38 girls hostels under RMSA are being constructed and most of the buildings are in advanced stage of completion, the Advisor was told and also briefed about the status of Mini secretariat at Batamaloo.The Chief Engineer also informed the meeting that work on 68 projects being executed under World Bank funding, is on, while 12 projects under RUSA have been completed and 6 projects are near completion.Meanwhile, the Advisor also took stock of the progress of various projects being executed by JKPCC in Kashmir valley. 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 besides directed them that no diversion of funds from project to project should be done. The meeting was informed that 2 blocks of District Hospital Anantnag constructed by JKPCC have been made functional while as one block is near completion.The meeting was also informed that District Hospital Kulgam has also been made functional, while work on other projects like Rehmat-e-Alam Hospital Anantnag, Degree College Kupwara, Polytechnic College Kupwara is going on in full pace.The Advisor directed the officials to handover the completed projects immediately so that they can be utilised in the current circumstances.In another meeting, Advisor Bhatnagar also held a detailed review of works of PMGSY Kashmir.The Advisor stressed upon the officials to use quality material and follow safety measures while executing works on different projects.Chief Engineer, PMGSY informed the meeting, through a presentation, that 847 schemes under phase 1 have been completed, while as works on other projects are in full pace. He also informed that 3354 KM of road length has been maintained across the Kashmir valley under different schemes besides 682 habitations have been connected across the valley.The Advisor instructed the officials to follow all the safety guidelines related to COVID-19 during the execution of work including use of masks and other equipments by the workforce.