While the contractor enjoying proximity with most wise Councilor carried bitumen work worth crore in highly unprofessional manners, Commissioner and Joint Commissioner (Works) are standing on opposite side over botched up development under way in Qasim Nagar.
JAMMU: Amidst tall claims of transforming Jammu into “smart city”, the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has invented a unique jugad technology for macademization of residential lanes with JCB which so far it employed only for demolition purpose.
The grapevine, however is that there is no clarity between Commissioner and Joint Commissioner (works) on macademization of narrow residential lanes with JCB instead of opting for inter-locking tile works.
The work was allotted for mechanized macademization. Carrying metalling of road manually using JCB is violation of terms of contract and if allegations are found authentic, we will not release money to the contractor, says Commissioner JMC , Rahul Yadav.
The JK Global News have received couple of videos from the residents pertaining to macademization work with JCB in narrow by-lanes which were subsequently shared with JMC Commissioner and Joint Commissioner (Work) for record sake as evidence.
Strangely, Joint Commissioner (Works) Rajesh Sumbriya when asked to comment on the issue said “There is no illegality in carrying macademization work manually using JCB. We used it where the machines cannot reach”. When asked why inter-lock tiles project was not considered in place of manual road metalling in narrow by-lanes, he said “The concerned Councilor of ward No 47 Sharda Gupta can enlighten you better on it”
Even, the residents in Qasim Nagar Ward No 47 were aghast to notice use of JCB for road metalling in their locality by mocking all norms laid down for ensuring quality work. “The JMC has carried macademization in highly mismanaged and un-professional manner and it only shows something fishy”, complained Rajesh Kumar.
Another resident while pointing towards a lane adjoining Rider Vault shop in Qasim Nagar said “Under the nose of JMC officer namely Shamsher Singh (JE) and Roshan Lal Bhagat (Supervisor), the contractor macadamize half of the lane infallibly and then disappear”.
Insiders in JMC reveal “Mannual road metalling is prohibited and only tenders for mechanized macademization with tevar are floated after survey by the engineers where roads and lanes are freely approachable for tevar machine. For narrow lanes, the JMC have provision of interlocking tiles, added reliable sources.
In Qasim Nagar, there are only two main roads which are qualified for mechanized road metalling. The PWD 2 years ago had macadamized one road whereas; the other road was recently macadamized by JMC.
The insiders in JMC alleged that there is indeed something fishy cooked between the Councilor and officers of works department in JMC which choose bitumen work manually in by-lanes with poor quality instead of long life inter-locking tiles.
The matter needs in-depth investigation to find out the compelling circumstances which pushed the Joint Commissioner (Works) to approve macademization work of narrow lanes in Qasim Nagar without application of mind, said our reliable sources in JMC alleging “There is indeed an element of corruption behind such shady development project which needs probe by Anti Corruption Bureau”.
Councilor of Ward No 47 Sharda Gupta while clarifying on the issue said “Along with one main road, the JMC has carried road metalling in majority of narrow by-lanes in Qasim Nagar manually as lanes were not approachable for tevar machine. When asked why she didn’t recommend tile work for narrow lanes which have long life, the Councilor instead of coming clear on the issue said “Interlocking tiles will be used for left over lanes”.
JK Global News Take: For sub standard work, the JMC Work department earns ignominy. This significant wing of JMC is always in eyes of storm over the way it approves development works worth several crores sans any quality audit. The role of some councilors in these development projects is also condemnable. If, Mayor is sleeping on such chronic issues, the Commissioner JMC instead of shrugging shoulders should rise to the occasion and act as per the sanctity of the chair.