Missing another deadline

09/02/2018

State Government has yet not received funds from the Union Housing and Urban Development Ministry for development of Jammu and Srinagar as Smart Cities. Moreover, neither Project Management Consultancy nor Key Managerial Personnel have been engaged till date despite the fact that they have a key role to play in giving practical shape to the projects. Both Jammu and Srinagar, the twin rotational capital cities of State made it to the list of 30 Smart Cities announced by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on June 23, 2017. Srinagar figured at No.10 and Jammu at No.21 in the list of 30 Smart Cities, which were selected through competition from out of a total of 45 cities which contested in the third round. Following announcement, the State Government vide Order No. 1081-GAD dated August 21, 2017 ordered creation of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) Jammu Smart City Limited and Srinagar Smart City Limited, which were subsequently registered as Limited Companies under Companies Act.
However, the Chief Executive Officers have failed to engage the Project Management Consultancy (PMC) despite the fact that PMC has to play an important role in giving practical shape to the project proposals. Even Key Managerial Personnel and other support staff as per the approved structure have not been engaged by the CEOs of Jammu Smart City Limited and Srinagar Smart City Limited. The comprehensive sewerage scheme for Greater Jammu city at an estimated cost of Rs 129.24 crore was taken up in year 2008 under JNNURM through National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) and the initial date of completion was March 2012 but because of dilly-dallying work the same had to be extended to March 2014. Due to stoppage of funding by Union Ministry of Urban Development because of non-achievement of 50% of financial progress with respect to DPR cost, the work remained suspended from 2014 to 2016-17. However, by any stretch of imagination this deadline cannot be met especially when the Deputy Chief Minister himself admitted in the House that completion of project depends upon the release of balance funds as per the revised DPR by the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department. The resource constraints have also been creating obstacles in start of work on River Tawi Front development on the pattern of Sabarmati River Front.

Photo Gallery

BSE Sensex

NSE Nifty