KNZ NEWS DESK
JAMMU: Minister of State for Works Mr Sunil Sharma informed the house that around 795 of 2373 sanctioned road projects taken up under different schemes have been completed in Jammu and Kashmir in last two years.
He said as many as 56 projects including seven bridges at an estimated cost of Rs.145.11 crore were taken up under NABARD in Srinagar District during the last two years. Against these Rs.14.21 crore was released and Rs.7.87 crore spent by ending December 2017, he said and added similarly seven road projects were taken up under CRF at an estimated cost of Rs 129.68 crore, of which Rs.67.30 crore stands released in 2017-18 and these are at different stages of completion.
Replying to a question by Mr. Mubarak Gul, the Minister said that under PMGSY 15 road projects were taken up in the district at an estimated cost of Rs.20.46 crore, of which Rs.15.43 crore were spent by ending November 2017.
Giving further details, Mr Sunil Sharma informed that 482.51 kilometre road length was macadamized in Srinagar District during the last two years.
Regarding the progress of circular road project and widening of other roads in Srinagar city, he said that the process of acquisition of land and removal of identified bottleneck structures on Safakadal-Jamalatta road at Jamalatta in Eidgah constituency is on at a cost of Rs 2.00 crore. He said acquisition process for other bottleneck structures is also under process for which Rs.0.25 crore has been earmarked.
In reply to a clubbed question by Mr Vikar Rasool, the Minister said that 18 PMGSY road projects, amounting to Rs 48.36 crore have been taken up in Banihal constituency during 2017-18 against which Rs.2.02 crore have been spent till date. In addition to it, Rs.2.14 crore has been released for macadimization of 23.55 kilometre road length against which work on 22.20 kilometre has been completed. Similarly, under PMGSY an amount of Rs.3.32 crore has been incurred during 2017-18 on blacktopping of 11.10 kilometres of road length in the constituency.
The Minister further said that one project amounting to Rs.2.50 crore has been taken up under NABARD against which Rs.0.59 crore has been released and Rs.0.30 crore spent. Likewise, four projects taken up at an estimated cost of Rs.16.40 crore were taken up under District Plan in Banihal constituency, of which Rs.9.00 crore has been released and Rs.3.50 crore incurred so far. He said under State Sector 10 works have been taken up in the constituency for which Rs.5.50 crore has been released and Rs.3.80 crore spent.
Responding to a specific enquiry regarding clearance of liabilities on account of compensation, the Minister said that the department is pursuing all these cases and claims with the appropriate quarter for their clearance.
In reply to another clubbed question raised by Mr G. M. Saroori, the Minister said that as many as 2373 road projects under NABARD, PMGSY, CRF, State/District Sectors have been sanctioned in the State, of which 795 were completed in past two years and work on 1578 is apace.
The Minister further told that some road projects are held up due to non-payment of compensation to the rightful land owners. However he said the department has earmarked Rs 30.00 crore for meeting the land compensation and other liabilities for completion of these projects.
About non-execution of some sanctioned road projects under State and District Sectors in Kishtwar and Doda districts, the Minister said these were held up due to land dispute, awaited forest clearance and court cases.
Mr Altaf Ahmad Wani, Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar and Hakim Mohammad Yasin raised supplementary to the main questions and complained about slow progress on various road projects in their constituencies. They demanded timely release of fund for the completion of these projects.
