Chief Executive Officer , J&K ERA Dr. Raghav Langer, IAS said that as per the revised time schedule submitted by M/S SIL (Simplex Infrastructure Limited) had to complete the structural portion of 2nd phase of the flyover project by 31st December 2018. However the same has now got delayed till end of February – 2019 due to sub-optimal manpower, material and machinery deployed by the contractor. The Chief Executive Officer said that the strict monitoring of milestones for the mega project is being done on a continuous basis and the contractor shall be penalized under relevant sections of contract agreement for delaying the work. It may be recalled that in the month of October 2018 the contractor has already been penalized with an initial penalty of Rs. 1.25 crore by J&K ERA.

The CEO J&K ERA has also directed the project staff to impose employer’s claims under relevant clauses on the contractor for delays in the project and additional burden being put on the state exchequer on account of salaries of employees and extension of tenure of the Design & Supervision Consultants deployed on the project by Government.

Meanwhile, J&K ERA is constantly engaged with the contractor to ensure that the remaining structural works that include erection of girders, laying of deck slabs, retaining walls, etc. on 3rd phase of the flyover from Alochibagh to Jehangir chowk gets completed as per agreed timelines. It has been reiterated to the contractor to professionally execute the contract agreement or face the brunt of action in future as well.

The contractor is supposed to make the complete stretch of flyover motorable by June 2019 as per his submitted work plan.

This was stated during the site visit of Dr, Raghav Langer, Chief Executive Officer, ERA/ JTFRP to existing common facility centre at Sethar, Anantnag for seasoning of cricket bats. The facility has been badly impacted due the floods of 2014 and is presently not operational. Officers of the Industries and Commerce Dept present on the occasion informed CEO that more than 400 bat manufacturing units are presently operating in Sethar and adjoining areas of District Anantnag which employee more than 5000 people and the facility was established in 2006 for the seasoning of wood used by these units for the manufacturing of cricket bats.

CEO also visited a local bat manufacturing unit were he was shown the various stages involved in the manufacturing of the cricket bats. He also interacted with the representatives of the local bat manufacturing units who demanded that the area be designated as an industrial cluster and be provided with all the facilities to enable the cricket bat manufacturing units to flourish.CEO directed the nodal officer of JTFRP to prepare a report regarding the key actions plan agreed to between the representatives of bat manufacturing units and World Bank representatives during their meeting at New Delhi so that a comprehensive project for the establishment of Common facility centre for the cricket bat units at Sethar is taken up. Representatives of bat industry also demanded that the SRO of Govt. regulating their activity needs to be revisited and amended as per the latest requirements

CEO JTFRP also inspected the progress of work on 3.34 km Halmulla- Punchpora to Kralkut which is estimated to cost Rs 4.98 crores and also visited Girls Degree College, Anantnag and Boys Degree College Bijbehara were additional blocks are being constructed under the critical infrastructure component of JTFRP

Peerzada Hafizullah Shah , Commissioner, SMC informed CEO, ERA that under the component of urban flood management infrastructure of JTFRP(Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project) work on construction of 49 storm water pumping stations which is estimated to cost Rs 102 crores has been awarded in the Dec,2018 and work on the sub-project which primarily involves the installation of electromechanical equipments along with requisite civil works will be completed within 18 months. He further said that preparation of DPR for the construction of Nadroo drainage scheme will be completed by the next week while as for Bonpora scheme DPR is under preparation.CEO directed SMC to expedite the process of procurement of mobile waste water testing equipments for monitoring of water of pumping stations and other equipments that are to be provided to the SMC under JTFRP.He further directed SMC to prepare a design for the SCADA building in consultation with Dept. of Disaster Management Relief Rehabilitation and Reconstruction which is proposed to be housed in the Composite Central Control Room that will also include proposed SEOC (State Emergency Operations Centre) at Humhama.

Harkewal Singh , General Manager , JKPCC informed that ESIA (Environment and Social Impact Assessment) for the new proposed hospital complex at L.D Hospital which is estimated to cost Rs 74 crores is under preparation and expected to be completed by 25th , January,2019 along with other necessary tests that are required to be done prior to start of work on ground. G. M JKPCC further informed that work on construction of Higher secondary school at Jawahar Nagar and 8 bridge and 3 road sub-projects in Baramulla, Pulwama, Anantnag and Shopian Districts is also underway. CEO JTFRP directed JKPCC to strictly follow the quality parameters during execution of works and also get the tests conducted at site verified from the third party.

Giving details about the progress of the component of strengthening of critical Infrastructure the Mushtaq Ahmad Shagoo, S.E R&B, Kashmir which is PIU for the component informed that bids for the construction of 3 buildings at Govt. Degree college, Bemina, GDC Anantnag , GDC, Bijbehara are being evaluated while as the bid evaluation process for the construction of 120 bed new in-patient , operation theatre and spinal care centre at Bone and Joint Hospital, Barzulla has been completed and referred to contract committee of R&B for necessary approval.He added that tenders for the construction of 35 school buildings in Kashmir, division have also been issued out of which evaluation process for 27 has been completed while as tenders for the construction of 5 bridges have been tendered out of which 01 is ready for award while as DPRs are being prepared for the 12 road sub-projects in Kashmir.

Later on Dr. Raghav reviewed the progress of under execution ADB funded projects in Srinagar. Showkat Wani, Director Kashmir , J&KERA informed that as on date 86% physical progress has been achieved on Jehangir-chowk Rambagh flyover project.He further said that the construction of downward ramp at Alloch-Bagh is already complete whereas construction of upward ramp at Rambagh is in full swing. While as in the 3rd and final phase of the project from Jehangir-Chowk to Amar Singh College crossing focus is being given on the construction of heavy structural components like erection of pre-cast concrete girders followed by laying of concrete slabs. He added that work on Grade Separator at TRC is underway with 75% physical progress achieved on it. As regards progress of Storm water drainage projects it was said that construction of Storm water drainage system for Rawalpora-Chanapora area having a catchment area of 284.76 hectares is also nearing completion.

Preparedness for forthcoming JKIDP( Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development programme) to be funded by Asian Development Bank was also discussed during the course of the meeting. Chief Engineer , PHED was informed that the projects for augmentation of water supply by 10 MGD in Greater Srinagar increasing service levels of water supply as per CPHEED norms at a tentative cost of Rs 270 crores have been provided under JKIDP . Accordingly under the sewerage sector projects for 30 MLD new STP , upgradtion of existing 04 STPs and laying of sewerage costing Rs 220 crores have also been provisioned for under the JKIDP.Further Chief Engineer UEED, J&K was directed to share the sewerage network drawing of the service areas of UEED, LAWDA and NBCC with the Hydraulic section of J&KERA CEO,ERA directed the officers of all the line departments present in the meeting to ensure completion of all projects within the agreed timelines to prevent cost overruns.
Meeting was also attended by Satinder Singh Rana, Chief Engineer, UEED/ Director Safeguards JKERA , Abdul Wahid,Chief Engineer, PHED, Kashmir, Showkat Wani Director Kashmir J&KERA, J&K, Iftikhar Ahmad Hakim ,Director Planning and Coordination, JTFRP, Khalid Ahmad Director, Technical, JTFRP, Amir Ali Director Disaster Management JTFRP, Suresh Koul, Director, Finance, J&KERA, Tasawuf Ahmad , Chief Accounts Officer , SE, R&B, Kashmir, JTFRP and other senior officers of JKERA, UEED, PHED and SMC

This was stated to Dr. Raghav Langer Chief Executive Officer J&KERA / JTFRP during his visit to the said handicraft clusters here today. The project has been taken up under restoration and strengthening of livelihood component of the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project and Department of Industries and Commerce is the Project Implementation Unit for the component. CEO ERA / JTFRP was informed by officials of Handicraft Department that so far comprehensive skill assessment of the artisans skilled in the traditional crafts of Embroidery (crewel, chain-stitch) and Papier Machie has been done and artisan have been categorized according to their level of skill by the consultants who have been engaged for the purpose and now the focus is being given on the upgradation of the skills of the artisans and for which recently a workshop was organized for the artisans wherein they were imparted latest trainings on product design and color schemes to be adopted while designing a product. It will be followed by providing artisans with improved market linkages with assured supply order worth Rs 3 crores for each provide them with platforms to participate and exhibit their crafts in major exhibitions. The creation of artisan database and creation civil infrastructure in the said handicrafts clusters areas is also included in the overall project.

Later CEO ERA / JTFRP also visited Solina Silk Factory wherein Officer was shown various sections of the Filature which has been established way back in 1939. A consultancy services for preserving the heritage value of the unit its landscaping and exploring opportunities for setting up of the Haat in the premises is also being carried out under the said project.

Ghulam Qadir, General Manager, Joinery Mill , Pampore , Nodal Officers of JTFRP/ handicrafts department accompanied CEO ERA/JTFRP during the visit.

Dr. Raghav Langer , Chief Executive Officer has stressed that any further delay on part of the contracting agency will not be tolerated and shall be dealt with severely. The construction agency has been directed to strictly adhere to the timelines given for the completion of the project. CEO, ERA has directed the contractor to ensure that the 2nd phase of the mega project from Rambagh to Aloochi Bagh is completed by 31st , Dec, 2018 while as 3rd phase from Allochi –Bagh to Jehangir Chowk be completed structurally by 15th March , 2019 with black topping to be completed by 15th, May, 2019.

Dr. Raghav said that any dilly-dallying tactics on part of the contracting agency shall lead to further penalization in accordance with the contract clauses and black listing of the construction agency. He added that work on the construction of grade separator at TRC, Srinagar has also been put on the watch list and performance of the construction agency is being closely scrutinized and similar penal action would follow if the work on project is not expedited and timelines given to the contractor are not met.

During the meeting it was proposed that two pronged approach needs to be adopted for the purpose by initially setting up the Emergency Operations Centre on Cloud based platform which will later on be further strengthened by setting up of (2) physical Emergency Operations centre at Srinagar and Jammu and subsequently by setting up of EOC’s at all the district levels. However the Cloud based EOC will continue to support the physically established EOC;s and will also serve as backup in case of emergencies’. The proposed EOC will be equipped with the all the necessary equipments like Desktop computers, printers and manned by disaster management and I.T professionals. The EOC’s will operate on the basis of customized software that will have important emergency response features like organizational registry, tracing the missing persons, tracking the displaced families, shelter tracking, volunteer management etc.

CEO, ERA directed the concerned officers to obtain the list of registered hardware / software vendors from the department of I.T and also directed the Disaster Risk Assessment consultancy of JTFRP to come up with detailed costing for the project and also prepare the further road map for the project at an earliest.

The meeting was also attended by Iftikhar Hakim, Director Planning and Coordination, JTFRP, Khalid Iqbal, Director Technical, JTFRP, Aamir Ali, Director Disaster Management and other officers’ of JTFRP and ERA

Giving out details about the progress of Public Works component of the project it was informed by the nodal officer, PWD, Kashmir that the component involves the sub-components of Health, Higher Education, High education and rehabilitation of (5) fire service stations. He said under the health sub-component Rs 89 crores have been earmarked for the construction of state of art 120 bed capacity additional block at Bones and Joints Hospital, Barzulla, Srinagar which will be equipped with the latest medical equipments, operation theatres, HVAC system, fire and maintenance and other latest facilities.. Under the Higher education sub-component Rs 34 crores have been allocated for the construction of additional blocks at Govt Degree College, Bemina, GDC Anantnag, GDC Bijbehara, Amar Singh College Srinagar and works worth Rs 23 crores have already been tendered. It was also said that under high education 53 schools are proposed to be constructed across the Kashmir valley for which an allocation of Rs 35 crores has been kept and tenders for construction of 7 schools have already been issued and tenders for remaining shall be issued by end of Nov, 2018.Further 8 Bridges are proposed to be constructed in Kashmir for which an allocation of Rs 70 crores has been kept and tenders for two bridges have already been floated. Similarly 12 road projects having an approximate length of 117 Kms are proposed to be constructed in Kashmir Division.

Sudhir Shah Chief Engineer, R&B, Jammu while giving out details about Jammu division said that 24 school buildings are proposed to be constructed in Jammu division for which an allocation of Rs 15 crores has been kept and tendering process for these will be completed by 15th, Nov, 2018.He further said that 17 road projects having a cumulative length of 176 kms are also proposed to be taken up.

CEO, ERA directed the officers present in the meeting to expedite the process of preparation of due diligence documents so that works are tendered out and executed on ground at an earliest. He also directed that due care be taken of the architectural and heritage aspects while preparing designs for projects like construction of additional blocks at Amar Singh College so that the newly constructed blocks merge aesthetically with the existing buildings in the campus. It was further directed that EOI (Expression of Interest) for assessment of structural stability and detailed design for retrofitting of (5) fire stations in Kashmir and some other structures be prepared and issued at an earliest.

Meeting was also attended by Sami Arif, Chief Engineer,R&B Kashmir, Iftikhar Ahmad Hakeem Director Planning and Coordination JTFRP, Khalid Iqbal Director Technical, JTFRP, Ajaz Ahmad Bukhari, Executive Engineer, division 2nd ,Nodal officers of Bone and Joint Hospital, L.D Hospital among others

The team upon its arrival in Srinagar attended the meeting at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar which was held under the chairmanship of Shri Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Planning, Development and Monitoring Department who apprised the visiting team about the progress achieved on Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery .Dr. Raghav Langer, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA also attended the meeting.

Later in the day Dr. Raghav Langer chaired the meetings wherein the visiting team was apprised about the progress achieved on Urban Flood Management and Restoration and Strengthening of livelihood components of the JTFRP. The meetings were also attended by Peerzada Hafizullah, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Javid Iqbal, Managing Director, J&K Industries and Commerce department which form the project implementation units of JTFRP along with the Public Works Department. The meetings were also attended by other senior officers of JTFRP unit of ERA.

J&K ERA has achieved 97% physical progress on the Rawalpora- Chanapora mega storm water drainage project which is being constructed by J&K ERA with cost of Rs 165 crores under its Asian Development Bank funded JKUSDIP (Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme).

This was informed to Dr. Raghav Langer, CEO, ERA during his visit to the site. Zulfiqar Beigh, Project Manager, Hydraulic , JKERA said that the project will benefit the catchment area of 284.75 hectares along the National highway byepass which include localities from Rangreth to Chanapora bridge and will benefit around 60,000 souls living in the localities. He said work on civil components of laying of main and sub-main drainage network has already been completed as well as construction of (03) main pumping stations along with the installation of electromechanical components which are equipped with submersible pumps each having discharge capacity of 25 cusecs, 40 cusecs and 37 cusecs respectively which can work even in inundated conditions. These include one at Afandi bagh for zone I of the catchment area and main pumping stations at Madina Enclave for zone II and third MPS at Alamdar colony for zone III of the catchment while as work on one IPS (Intermediate pumping station) near check yayil near which is required for zone III of the project couldn’t be taken up so far due to some land acquisition issues.

CEO, ERA directed the concerned officers to immediately submit the formal proposal regarding the land acquisition issue involved in the construction of intermediate pumping station so that the issue is taken up with the concerned quarters for its resolution. CEO, ERA also directed consultants to prepare the proposal for automation of the storm water drainage projects completed by ERA through SCADA system so far so that same may be proposed in the forthcoming JKIDP (Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Project) funded by Asian Development Bank.

During inspection of work on Jehangir –Chowk –Rambagh flyover project . Showkat Wani , Director Kashmir , JKERA informed that under phase-I of the project etween comprising of Amar Singh college to Barzulla Bridge has already been completed in May , 2018 and one way traffic on the stretch is plying which has decongested the traffic on the said road stretch underneath to a great extent and presently work on 2nd phase of the project between Rambagh to Allochi-Bagh stretch has been further accelerated and more than 80% physical progress has been achieved. CEO ERA directed contractor to ensure that phase –II of the project is completed and made motarable by 31st Dec, 2018.While giving out details about 3rd- phase of the project between Amar Singh College to Jehangir Chowk it was informed that as on date 50% progress has been achieved and structural component of the phase is expected to be completed by March-2019.

Later CEO, ERA inspected progress of work on grade separator near TRC where he was informed that 60% physical progress has been achieved on the project as a whole and presently work on construction of ramps on Sonawar- Linz and JK Bank Corporate limbs are in full swing.CEO ERA directed contractor to mobilize additional man and machinery to ensure the completion of work by Dec, 2018 and March, 2019 respectively for both limbs.

It was also directed by CEO that concerned engineers and consultants of ERA will on daily basis monitor the progress of these works in case of laxity on part of the contractor penalty and other penal provisions in the clause shall be invoked . The CEO reiterated that these projects be completed as per the agree timelines as already excessive dealy has happened in the completion of these vital projects.

The concerned contractor for the flyover project raised the issue of diversion of traffic between Naaz Crossing to Jehangir Chowk for undertaking works in this stretch regarding which the CEO directed ERA officials to submit a detailed site plan within timelines so that the same can be taken up with IGP Traffic, Srinagar.

Besides Director Kashmir, JKERA, Sheikh Javed, Project Manager, Transport , J&K ERA. Team Leader, DSC and other officers of JKERA and consultants accompanied CEO ERA during the site visit