By SHAFQAT SHAHEEN SHEIKH
Kishtwar: Embezzlement worth crores has surfaced in the construction of Dunadi Bunjwah KewaPul Kither and Tipri Patnazi road in PMGSY division Kishtwar. The dilapidated road has been taking toll of passengers who continue to suffer due to the failure of state government in loking into sorry state of affairs prevailing in the construction of roads.
Facing so many difficulties while travelling on this road, A strong demonstration was observed at Batote Kishtwar National Highway at Thathri for more than six hours in month of February 2018 by Youth Bunjwah and general public where Tehsildar Headquarter Kishtwar Tanver ul Haq and DySP Headquarter Kishtwar Nihar Ranjan in a written statement assured that , this road shall be restored and maintained from next day and its tendering shall be completed upto 31 Mar 2018 . But unfortunately nothing has been done so far.
Witnessing the worse condition of road and received information via RTI filed by one Bashir Ahmed Sheikh and Mohd Iqbal Sheikh proves that there is embezzlement of crores of rupees on name of KewaPull Kither road.
As per detail received from Mohd Iqbal (RTI Activist), PMGSY division Kishtwar failed to maintain and restore the KewaPul Kither road from 2006 -07. The road from KewaPul to Kither (Phase I) from Km 14th to Km 20th RD 775 of Dunadi Bunjwah road length 6.775 Km under Package No JKO4 – 09 PMGSY Phase -IV .
The above said portion of road was constructed by M/s Malik Construction Company Batote as per official order no 792 – 96 dated 8 / 3 / 2007 vide advertised Notice 03 / PMGSY of 2006 – 07 dated 28 / 09 / 2006 published in Kashmir times on 01 / 10 / 2006 .
In the above said notice bid amount of Rs 24607983 lacs was conveyed vide Letter of Acceptance No CE/PMGSY/J/329-35 dated20 / 02 / 2007. RTI reveals that from the advertise Notice in year 2006 – 07 to 2016 – 17, an amount of Rs 18437531 has been spent out of allotted amount Rs 24607983 as total amount sanctioned under PMGSY is Rs 268.14 lacs .
As per the detail available, the total amount of Rs 18437531 was withdrawn for execution of work from Kewa pull to Kither road from km14 to km 20 measuring length 6.775km.
As per detail received by Bashir Ahmed Sheikh via RTI reveals that , Advertisement copy of road can be had from office of Chief Engineer PMGSY { JKRRDA } Jammu and total amount sanctioned for Kewapull Kither and Tipri Patnazi road is Rs 268.14 lacs and 252.30 lacs out of which 184.79 lacs and 246.48 lacs are utilized for both roads .
RTI reveals that stage one of the road has been completed up to fair weather status and stage one is completed for the both roads. RTI further reveals that while execution of drainage work on Kewapull Kither road, 15 No’s Hume Pipe culverts, 10 No’s Scuppers, 2 No’s RCC slab Culverts and on Tipri Patnazi road 2 No’s Hume Pipe culverts, 10 No’s Scuppers, 4. No’s R C C slab Culverts work for the same is done on both roads as no parapet and sign board has been installed.
RTI further revealing the statement showing the item wise / Component wise of work executed and payment made on name of KewaPull Kither road reveals that , ” On account of earth work in all kind of soil , Earth work in soft rocks , Earthwork in hard rock , Earthwork in structures payment of Rs 23.33 , 19.46 , 43.88 , 3.5 lacs has been made . On account of M10 ( 1:3:6 ) , PCC M20 (1:2:4) , RCC M20 (1:2:4) , PCC M15 ( 1:2:5:5) , NP3 , payment of Rs 17.58 , 1.06 , 1.64 , 9.6 , 2.25 lacs has been made “.
It also reveals that , on account of Filter Media/ Stone Filling , Wire Crates , Grounting of Stone Pitching , Dry Masonry , Cement Masonary , Earth filling , HYSD , M25 (1:1:5:3) , P/L Pitching laid over prepared filter media , payment of Rs 18.99 , 59.79 , 0.98 lacs has been made among which cement masonry shows highest amount of all total Rs 59.79 lacs .
The RTI reveals that earth work, protection work and cross drainage has been done but these works are not seen on ground.
RTI activist Mohd Iqbal Sheikh and Bashir Ahmed Sheikh alleged that PMGSY don’t provide the complete record copies of RTI response that shows the embezzlement of crores in said department.
“Source reveals that during the sudden blockade of road and worse condition, it came to reveals that District Administration DC Kishtwar had given lacs of rupees for its restoration and maintained but Pmgsy Kishtwar shows that nothing has been received by DC Kishtwar for its maintained, that shows open loot in PMGSY Kishtwar “. The inhabitants of Bunjwah area are aghast over the step-motherly treatment of PMGSY for failing to repair the 6 km stretch of KewaPul Kither road.
Not only this, crores have been embezzled in the Tipri Patnazi road also as the road is in worse condition. It is need of hour to hold a Vigilance inquiry into embezzlement of crores of rupees in the name of Bunjwah road so as corrupt and erring officer shall be booked according to law.
Beside KewaPul Kither road the first phase of Bunjwah road from Dunadi to Noor named as Dunadi Bunjwah road is in worse condition where more than 188 piece workers / contractors had worked as per Officials record of JKPCC Unit Kishtwar and crores of rupees had been withdrawn without any work on ground .
A local resident of Bunjwah Bashir Ahmed Sheikh said that it takes more than 3 – 4 hours to reach Thathri i.e only 25 km from Binoon to Thathri and 19 km to Dunadi. Drivers don’t want to ply on this road and commuters, especially employees are worst sufferers. It is pertinent to mention that during emergency cases, patients face hardship to reaches district hospital Kishtwar as the road is in worse condition.
RTI activist Bashir Ahmed seeks personal intervention of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and PWD R&B Minister Naeem Akhtar in this matter for ordering State Vigilance Commissioner to initiate enquiry in embezzlement of crores of rupees that had been withdrawn on name of KewaPul Kither road.