Shopian: Sixteen years on, the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Shopian is still awaiting construction of an administrative-cum-workshop block building, due to a dispute over funds between the Technical Education department and the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC).
The construction work on the building was started in the financial year 2006-07 to provide more space and facilities for education and training to students.
According to a senior official of the JKPCC, at the beginning only one storey of the building was approved but the government later approved another storey. Then a dispute arose over the funds approved by the Technical Education department and the work was stopped.
Officials said that the building was put under the “languishing projects” list, and in the meantime the issue of price escalation further worsened the dispute. Even when more funds were approved, the construction work was not completed as the requirement of money had gone up.
Suhail Ahmad, a student, said that there is an acute space crunch at the institute and dozens of computers are crammed into two small rooms, which is against the standard of computer labs.
Also, all the office work is being carried out in the hostel building, which also houses the computer section, he said.
Locals said that almost two decades have passed since the project was started and now the unfinished building is decaying.
Deputy Managing Director of JKPCC, Masood Ahmad Gangoo, told Kashmir Reader that until the Technical Education department releases Rs 20 lakh more, the work cannot be completed.
“There is already a liability of more than six lakh rupees for the works done. At an approximate, Rs 20 lakh more are needed to complete the building,” he said.
“Their (Technical Education department’s) director promised us approval of funds but he was transferred. They have reneged on that promise,” he said.

Raashid Hassan