High Court has asked the government to examine problem of funds to J&K Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) after the corporation informed it that execution of projects was getting delayed for want of funds.
A division bench of chief justice Geeta Mittal and justice Puneet Gupta after going through the status report filed by JKPCC ordered that a copy of its order be placed before the Chief Secretary for immediate examination and looking into the matter of funds.
“This matter needs critical attention at the highest level. Construction of sixteen bridges is stated to have halted,” the court said.
JKPCC in its status report filed in response to a Public Interest Litigation divulged that delay in execution of the projects was due to paucity of funds.
The corporation said that budget component in respect of the bridges under its execution is with project authorities like PWD.
“The execution of the bridges funded by the World Bank is going smoothly as funds are released from time to time,” it said, adding that the other projects however are getting delayed for want of funds.
Advocate Salih Pirzada assisted the court as amicus curiae, and advocate Arshid Andrabi represented Samaj Sudhar Committee which has petitioned the court.
Advocate Adrabi told the court that Tengchatri Bridge was to be made ready by in 2013, but it has not been completed till date. “People of the area are really suffering,” he said.