Even the snail’s pace would not be an appropriate to describe the tardiness that has plagued the developing agencies in Kashmir province. For over past one year, most of the development departments have almost gone into hibernation; not a single new project was started and interestingly work on some prestigious projects going on for past many years has been stalled. During the past six months, interestingly some almost done projects that needed just finishing touches have been abandoned; all this to the inconvenience of the general public. In this regard a small bridge over Doodah Ganga constructed after three years at the cost of Rs. One hundred seventy-four lakhs, completed six months back, needing some finishing touches could be a classic example. Significantly no work is being done on the completion of the roads taken up under various centrally sponsored schemes. More than a decade back work was started on the widening of the Srinagar-Sonamarg road, hardly twenty per cent of work has been completed so far. The Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri road widening project is also in a limbo. The state needs to come out with a fact sheet about the execution of the project under the Central Road Fund (CRF) and other centrally sponsored schemes, targets achieved, and funds utilised. Ironically, so far the hallmark of the works departments in the state has been failing to complete any project within the stipulated period and without demanding revised estimates; doing it would be making history in the state. Four years after the 2014 floods, the works departments despite the allocation of funds have failed to restore the structures damaged during the deluge. The SK Indoor-Stadium, the only major facility available in the province for the promotion of indoor games badly damaged during the floods is yet it to be restored fully. Despite the administration announced a budget of Rs. 16 Crores for the project, work has not started. The worst example of all this has been the construction of Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover. So far this Asian Development Bank funded project has missed more than two dozen deadlines. For ending the culture of ‘deliberate-tardiness’ and ‘revised estimates’, the government needs to revisit the hackneyed ‘accountability laws’ that are in practice in the state.
Incomplete Projects
