Facing ‘uncertainty’

20/07/2017

A vital bridge project, worth Rs 206 crore over river Chenab in Khour-Pargwal area of Akhnoor Sub Division in district Jammu, said to be the longest bridge not only in J&K State but in Northern India, is facing uncertainty as the JKPCC and R&B authorities failed to finalise tenders even after the lapse of one and half year. More shocking and surprising fact of the matter is that despite the directions from none less than Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Minister for R&B, Naeem Akhtar, the people at the helm of affairs in the R&B and JKPPC, were least bothered to finalise the financial bid and allot the work of this prestigious bridge project of Jammu region. The members of the Financial Bid Committee including MD, JKPCC and others are just buying time and delaying this important project, for which entire funding is being made by the Government of India. MLA Akhnoor Rajiv Sharma and MLA Chhamb Dr Krishan Lal, who recently had warned the JKPCC and R&B authorities 'to start work on this project or face agitation', said that they had suspended their programme only on the assurance from the R&B Minister and Commissioner/ Secretary R&B that work will be allotted to a national bidder shortly but now one and half moth is over, the officers concerned have failed to allot the work. They said initial tender validity of 120 days lapsed on 22-2-1017 and then first extension of 90 days was given and thereafter, two more extensions of one month each were offered to the national bidders but that period is also almost over. The third extension is expiring on July 22, 2017. This showed that some people are sabotaging this project and are just buying time. They do not want to get this Jammu centric project get cleared. Actually thisprestigious Jammu centric project isfacing rough weather at the hands of some people at the helm of affairs, despite the fact that entire funding is being made by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
They further revealed that Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways had sanctioned the 1680mt long bridge project over Chenab worth Rs 206 crore on January 18, 2016. The work was authorised by the State R&B department to the JKPCC on April 16, 2016. As the CRF guidelines, national e-tender was issued on 25-7-2016 and last date of submission of bid was October 26, 2016. The technical bid was opened on November 2, 2016. In between a writ petition was filed in the court by a local company after the tender process was completed. However, the High Court after listening both sides dismissed the petition on March 23, 2017. The members of the Bid Committee including MD JKPCC and others, failed to finalise the contract even after court lifted the restrictions on them. In between the bid validity of 120 days as per e-NIT condition expired on February 22, 2017. Three main companies, who are contesting- M/s Gammon India Ltd Mumbai, M/s SP Singla Constructions Pvt Ltd Chandigarh and M/s Arvind Techno Engineers Pvt Ltd Delhi were requested for three months extension in the bid validity. They all have deposited bank guarantee worth over Rs 10 crores with the JKPCC.
During last four years, the site of the bridge has been changed twice due to ill-planning by the people at the helm of affairs and now, third location near Indripattan in Jourian area of Akhnoor and Sajwal in Pargwal area, has been selected instead of Hamirpur Kona and another second location, about 3 km upstream the initial site. The funding period of NABARD also lapsed due to long delay and the State had to surrender these funds and then project was resent to the Union Govt under Central Road Fund (CRF) by the new PDP-BJP Govt which sanctioned Rs 206 crore. Even in last two years of this new Govt, no much progress has been witnessed on this important bridge project.

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