2 yrs on, 4-lane link road to Central varsity incomplete

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 7

More than two years have passed since the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways sanctioned one-time special grant for the four-laning of the 10-km link road to the Central University of Jammu. However, the university has failed to complete the project.

The link road is being constructed from the national highway at Rahya Morh in Samba district to the Central University of Jammu. In September 2015, the ministry sanctioned Rs 107.25 crore to cover all three phases of the project.

An inordinate delay to complete the link road has further dented the image of the university, which is already among the 11 non-performing Centre-funded institutions listed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2017.

Moreover, covering the 10-km distance from the national highway at Rahya Suchani to the Central University campus at Bagla village is a nightmarish experience for students, staff and visitors. Leave aside the four-laning of the road, even the existing single-lane road is in a pathetic condition.

“Had the university immediately started the four-laning of the road after the grant was sanctioned by the Central ministry, the process would have been completed by now. However, due to lack of coordination between the university and the agencies concerned, not even 1 per cent of work has been completed in two years,” an official claimed.

“In fact, a high-level committee of the Ministry of Human Resource Development that visited the Central University from July 24 to 26, 2017, for conducting financial, academic and infrastructure audit had thoroughly, scrutinised and cross-checked the official records pertaining to payments and the use of university funds,” the official added.

When contacted, Prof Ashok Aima, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Jammu, admitted that the delay in the completion of the project even after getting the one-time special grant from the Central ministry.

“Yes, there has been a delay in the four-laning of the road, but the construction work has just begun a few days ago. When I took charge in 2015, my top priorities were the four-laning of the link road and the speeding up of the construction work on the campus, especially of academic blocks,” he added.

When asked whether the university would continue with the road project, Prof Aima replied: “The work is in its first phase. We will try to make the road two or three lane, if not four.”