On directions of Chief Minister in a review meeting in Srinagar on 20th July 2016 regarding “Rail Based Mass Transit System” network in the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar, a meeting with the representatives of M/S Rites Ltd., a Government of India Enterprise was held in the office of Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA, Jammu on 12th August 2016 to discuss the modalities for further progress of the project.

The M/S Rites ltd. was represented by Piyush Kansal, Country head of Urban Transport and his associates. On behalf of the state government it was attended by Vinod Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, ERA, Iftikhar A Hakim, Chief Town Planner, Kashmir, Malik Bashrat Ahmed, Director (Chief Engineer) Kashmir, ERA, Anil Raina, Chief Town Planner, Jammu, Sudheer Shah, SE R&B, Jammu, on behalf of Chief Engineer, R&B, Jammu and other concerned officers.

After discussing the proposal for Rail Based Mass Transit System Network as recommended in the City Mobility Plan for Jammu and Srinagar cities and also corridor proposed by the state stake holder departments, M/S Rites was asked to submit cost offers within a weeks’ time for preparation of Detailed progress report for Rail Transit System in Jammu and Srinagar cities. The DPR should cover following aspects: • City Level Traffic Study including Primary Traffic & Travel Surveys • Development of Travel Demand Model and Traffic Forecast • Mass Transit System Selection • Engineering Surveys • Alignment Design, Utilities and Land • Station Planning & Intermodal Integration • System Design including Rolling Stock, Traction, S&T, AFC etc. • Environmental & Social Impact Assessment • Cost Estimates, Economic & Financial Analysis/TOD • Implementation Strategy and Institutional Arrangement • Disaster, Security and Disable Friendly Measures

They were further asked to be geared up to start work on ground for preparation of comprehensive Detailed Progress Report, immediately after the acceptance of proposal is conveyed to them.

J&K ERA today handed over the two rehabilitation complexes namely Rambagh and Jehangir Chowk rehabilitation complexes constructed by it with the cost of Rs 100 crores to Srinagar Municipal Corporation for the rehabilitation of shopkeepers getting dislocated due to the construction of Rambagh – Jehangir Chowk Flyover in Srinagar city. The handover /takeover took place at a simple function held here today, in the presence of Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, J&K Dr. Nirmal Singh, Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA Sh. Vinod Sharma handed over the possession of 2 No. complexes at Jehangir Chowk and Rambagh to Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation Sh. Bashir Ahmad Khan.

Shopping Complex at Jehangir Chowk comprises of 152 No. shops with 1,42000 Sqft. Commercial/ office space. It has basement, Ground Floor and 3 Floors.

Shopping Complex at Rambagh comprises of 153 No. shops and 1,04000 Sqft. Commercial/ office space. It has basement, Ground Floor and 2 Floors.

Most of the shopkeepers affected by the flyover have been accommodated in these Complexes except for few leftover cases which are under litigation/ dispute. Henceforth, SMC will be owner of these 2 No. Complexes and draw the rental agreements and charge monthly rent from tenants/ allotees of these Complexes. SMC shall also be responsible for the upkeep of these Complexes. The uncommitted shops in these Complexes shall be allotted by a Committee constituted for this purpose. The allotment Committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and will have following members: a) Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar b) Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation c) Chief Engineer PW (R&B) Department Kashmir

The function was also attended by Chief Engineer, J&K ERA Kashmir, Er. Malik Basharat Ahmad and other senior officer.

J&KERA under the assistance from Asian Development Bank (ADB) is executing capacity building of Urban Local Bodies of Jammu and Kashmir i.e., Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Jammu Municipal Corporation. To provide Consultancy Services for Capacity Building of Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Jammu Municipal Corporation. JK ERA has appointed M/s PSP Financial Consultants Private Limited as consultants, who will build capacity of Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Jammu Municipal Corporation to improve the service levels, operational efficiency and financial sustainability

The main objectives of the assignment is institutional restructuring of municipal corporations in urban areas of Srinagar and Jammu, Improvement of operational efficiency, Improvement of financial sustainability of operations, tariff rationalization plan and design of transparent subsidy mechanism, improved service levels and customer responsiveness, preparing a comprehensive organizational development plan with clear action plans and timelines to enhance the restructure, functions and staffing of the municipal corporations in J&K in order to improve overall efficiency, productivity and effectiveness of service delivery to citizens, preparing prescribed charter of functions for the municipalities drawing from structure prescribed in the Municipal Corporation Act (2000) and from the 74th Constitutional Amendment of Government of India; Preparing the recommended organizational chart, with duties and job charts for each position in the Corporations, Defining the job description for each department and its wings, Examining the existing systems, practices & methods of dealing with various issues in each department, suggesting improvements and developing new method for each group of functions and activities, recommending decentralization in administration, conducting training needs assessment and providing on the job training to existing employees and induction training to direct recruits, preparing tailor made training courses for future usage in the corporations, preparing human resource development plan for the corporations, preparing revenue improvement action plans for the corporations and providing hand-holding support to the municipalities in implementation of accrual based accounting system. The consultants have been fixed after international level competition

The contract agreement was signed on 26th May, 2016 by the Chief Engineer ERA Mr. Malik Basharat Ahmed and the Representative of the consulting firm in presence of Chief Executive Officer ERA, Mr. Vinod Sharma

The four member team of Asian Development Bank comprising of Mr Atsushi Kaneko, Senior Portfolio Manager, ADB, Ron Slangen, Resettlement Consultant (INRM), Mr Saugata Dasgupta ADB (INRM) visited the state to review the progress of various projects being executed by J&K ERA under the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme (JKUSDIP).

ADB mission visited various sites on 4th and 5th March which include construction sites of Jehangir Chowk- Rambagh expressway corridor, Multilevel parking facility at KMDA, Athwajan drainage project along National highway byepass, Mehjoor bridge, revamping of pumping stations along the banks of Jhelum River in Srinagar which was followed by a meeting with ERA officers on 5th , March including Chief Executive Officer Vinod Sharma, Malik Basharat Ahmad, Director Central , J&K ERA, Mir Iqbal Project Manager, JKUSDIP (T) , Zulfiqar Hussain Project Manager, JKUSDIP (Hyd)

Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA in a meeting informed the visiting team that till date Rs 818 crores have been spent by J&K ERA under the ongoing JKUSDIP funded by Asian Development Bank. He informed them that all out efforts are being made by J&KERA to meet the physical and financial targets set for the projects. He further informed that keeping in view the recent unfortunate flyover accident at Kolkata state govt. has ordered for safety audit of all under construction flyover projects in state including of two flyovers being constructed by J&K ERA in Srinagar and Jammu respectively. He added that in this regard J&KERA has directed its Project Management Consultants to immediately mobilize the services of structural stability engineer and safety engineer to prepare the safety improvement plan for the flyover projects being executed by J&KERA. He further said that third party safety audit from a national level reputed engineering institute is also being considered.

The ADB team also had a meeting with Commissioner, SMC and conveyed there concern about prevailing conditions at Achan Landfill site , SMC Commissioner conveyed the resolve of state govt to operate the Achan Landfill site as per the solid waste management guidelines. The team expressed the overall satisfaction with progress of works and appreciated the efforts being made by J&K ERA to strengthen the safety measures of under construction flyover projects.

Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (J&K ERA) conducted a workshop on Labour Laws and sensitization of construction workers about various welfare schemes being implemented by the govt. for construction workers at Panthachowk, Srinagar here today

Project Manager, JKUSDIP, Kashmir, J&KERA welcomed participants and briefed them about the purpose of organizing the workshop. He said that safety of labour, timely payment of wages and provision of certain basic facilities at site are a must for psycho -socio-well being of construction workers.

During the course of workshop Resource Person from the Labour department, Mrs.Hafsa Qayoom, Labour Officer, Srinagar made construction workers aware about the various welfare schemes being implemented by Labour department for the betterment of construction workers like accidental death benefit scheme, educational support for children, children s marriage scheme, maternity benefits scheme etc and impressed upon all the construction workers present in the workshop to get themselves registrated with the concerned District Labour Office to avail the benefits of welfare schemes meant for their benefit and also explained them in detail about the process of registration. She also delved at length about Building and Construction workers Welfare Act.

Workshop was attended by Project Manager, (Hyd) JKUSDIP, J&KERA, Deputy Project Manager, (Hyd) J&KERA and other officers of J&K ERA and more than 90 construction workers. Workshop was organized as part of Gender Action Plan and Community Awareness Programme component of ongoing Asian Development Bank funded JKUSDIP (Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Investment Programme ) being executed by J&K ERA. As part of this component J&KERA has also organized a series of community based awareness programmes at community levels and also in various schools wherein people are being sensitized about best practices in health, sanitation, environmental protection, solid waste management and behavior Change Communication for school children.

Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA Shri Vinod Sharma today inspected work on Rs 26.75 Crore state of art multilevel car parking facility in city centre at lal chowk, which is being executed by J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (J&K ERA) under the ongoing JKUSDIP (Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme) funded by ADB (Asian Development Bank). The project includes the construction of five tier multilevel mechanized semi automatic car parking facility along with three storyed commercial complex comprising of office space and public toilet.

He was informed that 90% of prefabricated mechanical equipments which comprises 70% of the work have been imported from China and superstructure stand already installed while as presently the electromechanical pellets are being installed and till date 30 pellets have been positioned in the slots. He also inspected the PLC (Programmed Logic Control Unit) for this facility which has also been imported from China and will be the control unit for operation of the facility.

CEO ERA directed the contractor to expedite the pace of work on installing of ACP (Aluminum composite paneling). He was accompanied by Shri Basharat Malik, Director Central, J&K ERA, Shri Mir Mohammad Iqbal, Project Manager, JKUSDIP, J&K ERA and other senior officers of J&K ERA and consultants.

The project is first of its kind in the state and on completion would provide hassle free parking facility for about 288 cars in the busy Lal Chowk area .Option of increasing the capacity of this parking facility to about 1250 cars by merging the adjoining patch of about 14 kanals of land, presently under Ranbir printing press is also being explored as Ranbir printing press is in process of shifting to their newly constructed office complex at Sempora

J&K ERA today handed over three mega storm water drainage projects worth Rs. 160 crore to Srinagar Municipal Corporation in presence of Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister , Dr Nirmal Singh . After successful completion / commissioning and successful testing of these projects, today ERA formally handed over these projects to Srinagar Municipal Corporation, which shall l henceforth be responsible for running of the entire system including the pumping stations.

Handing over / taking over was accomplished at an impressive function held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Dy. Chief Minister J&K, Dr. Nirmal Singh (Minister I/c H&UD) today between Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation Sh. Showkat Ahmad Zargar and Chief Executive Officer J&K ERA Er. Vinod Sharma.

To pump out the water collected through these drains, four (04) pumping stations have been constructed, which contain “09 No. Non Clog Submersible Pumps, 09 No. Dry Weather Pumps, 07 No. Storm Water Pumps and 08 No. Diesel Gensets.

The total network created will have the optimum capacity to pump out 85 MGD (40 Crore Lts per day) and thus prevent submergence of areas mentioned below during heavy rains.

The areas to be benefited by the projects include Part of Rawalpora (Sannat Nagar partly, Qazibagh parea), LD Colony, Goripora, Budshah Colony, Baghi-Haider, Wazabagh, Old Hyderpora, Post Office Lane, Green Avenue, Sheikh-Ul-Alam Colony, Green Park, Shah Anwar Colony, Moominabad (Hyderpora), Gulberg Colony, Al Noor Colony, Gulbahar Colony, Hassanabad Colony.Gousia Colony (A & B), Sir Syed Abad, Police Colony, SDA colony, Shamsabad, Tawheedabad, Oaisabad, Usmania Colony, Ibrahim Colony, Boatman Colony, Fruitmandi, Sheikh Colony, Sidiqua Colony,Baghi-Mehtab, Gousia Colony Lane 1 to 5, Gulshan Nagar A, B & C, Umer Colony, Sheikh Noor Din Colony, Murtaza Colony, Sheikh-Ul-Alam Colony, Shankerpora, Usmania Colony, Gulposh Colony, Methan, Nowgam, Channapora, Lal Nagar, Beighpora, Railway Colony.
These projects will benefit about 80,000 souls living in these areas, during heavy rains / floods.

Jenab Mufti Muhammad Syed, Hon’ble Chief Minister of J&K state in presence of Jenab Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Hon’ble minister for Public Works, Floriculture, Gardens and Parks and Jenab Javaid Mustafa Mir , Hon’ble Minister for Revenue today laid foundation stone of New Mehjoor bridge at Srinagar. The work on New Mehjoor Bridge is estimated to cost Rs 18 crores and is being executed by Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (J&K ERA) under tranche-III of its ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme(JKUSDIP).

The project comprises of 105.05 metre long bridge comprising of 3 spans of 35 metre each and superstructure plate girders with R.C.C deck slab having carriage way width of 7.5 metre with 1.5 metre footpath on both sides.

Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA Shri Vinod Sharma while welcoming the dignitaries said that J&K ERA has successfully completed Rs 1700 crore Multisector Project for Infrastructure Rehabilitation (MPIR) funded by Asian Development Bank and is presently implementing Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment Programme also funded by Asian Development Bank.

The bridge across the flood spill channel of River Jhelum at Jawahar Nagar will provide all weather connectivity with Srinagar to areas on other side of the flood spill channel which include Mehjoor Nagar, Padshahi bagh, Lasjan, Summerbug etc.

Jenab Sajad Gani Lone, Hon’ble Minister for Animal Husbandry and Science and Technology, Madam Anjum Fazli, Hon’ble MLA , Jenab Khursheed Alam Hon’ble MLC, Asgar Hussain Samoon, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Farooq Ahmad Lone, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA, Vinod Sharma and other senior officers of state were also present on the occasion.

CEO, ERA conducted site inspection of 2.4 Kms long Express way corridor from Jehangir Chowk - Rambagh corridor which is estimated to cost Rs 250 Crores, Rs 42 crore storm water drainage project along National highway byepass and Rs 114 crores Storm water drainage project from Rawalpora to Chanapora.

During the site visit of Jehangir Chowk- Rambagh expressway corridor CEO ERA inspected various sections of the expressway corridor were work is presently underway. He inspected work on laying of deck slabs near solina and instructed engineers to strongly adhere to quality parameters and safety guidelines. He also had an interaction with the shopkeepers and some locals and also directed contractor to strictly follow the dust suppression measures to avoid inconvenience to people living in the vicinity.

He also visited Athawajan and Rawalpora areas were construction of two mega storm drainage projects is under execution by J&K ERA . He directed the contractor to further gear up the work on construction of pumping station at Athawajan to ensure the timely completion of work. Later he also visited the site of Rawalpora – chanapora storm water drainage project.

CEO ERA was accompanied by Malik Basharat , Director Central, J&K ERA and other senior officers of J&K ERA and Consultants of J&K ERA.

Vinod Sharma, alumni of erstwhile Regional Engineering College has degree in civil engineering and has already held important senior positions which include Vice-Chairman, Jammu Development Authority, Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Director, Central, J&K ERA. He is also the former Chairman, Institute of Engineers (India) Jammu centre

On assuming the charge of Chief Executive Officer, J&K ERA, Vinod Sharma was accorded a warm welcome by officers and staff of J&K ERA. Later he chaired a meeting to review the progress of projects being executed by J&K ERA in Kashmir province.