Chief Secy calls for speeding up work on Jammu’s Tawi riverfront project

Jammu, February 1

During his maiden visit to the project site of Tawi riverfront on Thursday, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo inspected the ongoing works and those completed by the executing agency. The visit was followed up by a meeting regarding the same.

The Chief Secretary went around the barrage site near fourth Tawi bridge and examined the work done so far. He even inspected the drawings and designs of this project and enquired about the final outlay to be dedicated to the public.

Meeting deadline

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• Chief Secy calls for designation of an authority, which could look after the entire project, including the real estate component
• Advises officials to have a robust plan for the reclaimed portions of land on left and right banks
• Stresses on having a plan for the relocation of the adjoining warehouse
• Directs completing preliminary works in a month’s time

Dulloo called for speeding up the pace of work and delivering the project within the set deadline. He took note of several important decisions to be taken for smooth operation of this city beautification project.

He impressed upon making a concrete plan about the designation of an authority, which could look after the entire project, including the real estate component. He also advised the officials concerned to have a robust plan for the reclaimed portions of land on left and right banks, including the central island, so that it adds to the overall ambience of this project.

Dulloo further stressed on having a plan for the relocation of the adjoining warehouse in consultation with the stakeholders. He asked for having a close coordination between the divisional, district administrations and the Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL) for taking expeditious decisions regarding each issue at hand.

The Chief Secretary, while having an insight into the component of real estate development for recreational, residential and commercial purposes, asked for taking approval for land use plan beforehand so that the ease of doing business is ensured later. He directed for completing these preliminary works in a month’s time and lay complete focus on their execution in the months ahead.

In the meeting, the Chief Secretary was informed by the CEO, JSCL, about the progress on different components of this project. It was given out that the project has been conceived with twin objectives of flood mitigation and creation of recreational spaces.

It was said that the project has two broad components including the construction part and real estate development part. For both these components, the concerned executing agencies have taken up the services of consultants also.

As far as the construction part is concerned, it includes developing the promenades, diaphragm walls, retaining walls, laying of anchor slabs, embankment filling and interceptor drains on both left and right banks along with the central island near 4th bridge, as was informed in the meeting.

It was said that an embankment of the length of about 7 km has to be laid in phases from Gujjar Nagar Bridge to fourth Bridge thus creating an artificial lake from Bhagwati Nagar barrage to Bikram Bridge. In phase 1, the project embankments are being constructed for a length of 2.7 km on both sides of the river from Barrage to Bikram Bridge, the meeting was apprised.

It was said that the total project cost for phase 1 is Rs 194.47 crore, which consists of Rs 156.38 crore for raising of embankment, diaphragm wall, filling, interceptor drains, pier protection, etc., while remaining Rs 38.09 crore on amenities like landscaping, roads, footpaths, toilet block, food courts and lighting.