Visits under construction 120 bedded Bone &Joints Hospital, Emergency Operations Centre and various JTFRP sites

SRINAGAR: A high level team of World Bank comprising of Shri, Hemang Karelia, Task Team Leader, Deepak Singh, Sr. Disaster Risk Management specialist, Dr Chandershekhar, consultant /former Chief Architect, Ministry of Health, Govt of India, Supriti Dua, Financial Expert, Arghya Ghosh, Livelihood consultant, Peeyush Sekhsaria, Disaster Risk Management Specialist and Manzoor Khan, Operations Specialist, today concluded its 5 day visit to J&K
During last 5 days the team had comprehensive discussions with PMU (Project Management Unit) of Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project and various PIUs (Project Implementation Units) JKERA, PWD(R&B), I&CD, SMC, which are executing various sub-projects under the different components of the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project.
Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah (IAS) Chief Executive Officer J&KERA during meeting with World Bank team said that 143 sub-projects out of the total of 213 sub-projects have been completed under different components of the JTFR project. He added that expenditure of Rs 1131.51 Crores has been incurred under the project so far .
The completed sub-projects include various vital road/bridge sub-projects in both Jammu and Kashmir Division, Construction of BaLA (Building as a Learning Aid) designed schools across J&K, Installation of the (30) Manifold Oxygen Generation plants in hospitals located in most remote areas of the J&K, Providing of the Critical Care medical equipments to the District Hospitals across J&K, Construction of various Storm Water Drainage projects, Development of DSS (Decision Support System), IOFS (Integrated Operational Forecasting System), Study on MHRA (Multihazard Risk Assessment) for Strengthening of Disaster Management Capacity in J&K he said
Dr Syed Abid alongwith the visiting World Bank team also visited the under construction 120 bedded hospital at Bone & Joints Hospital which is being executed under JTFRP at an allotted cost of Rs 88.95 crores by NPCC (National Projects Construction Corporation) . It was informed that around 48% progress has been achieved on the project as a whole.
CEO, ERA directed the executing agency, NPCC to ensure that the highest standards of construction be maintained on execution of work with no compromises whatsoever on the timelines for the project.
Dr. Chandrashekhar, Consultant, World Bank, former Chief Architect, Ministry of Health, Govt of India, asked the contractor that work on the sub-project be executed in such a manner so that the installation of the medical equipments & other hi-tech equipments in the new building is synchronised and seamless. Er. Rafiq Ahmad Rafiq Chief Engineer, (PWD) (R&B) Kashmir, Dr. Saima,Rashid, Principal GMC, Srinagar, Medical Superintendent, B&J Hospital & Sr Faculty members of the Bone & Joints Hospital were also present on the occasion.
The World Bank team also had a meeting with Ms. Saloni Rai, Director, Industries & Commerce, Kashmir during which the progress achieved under the component of Restoration & Strengthening of Livelihoods being executed by I&CD was discussed. It was said that with completion of New Composite Market Centre for Silk at Rajbagh and Composite Market Centre for wool at Bemina and installation of latest spinning/weaving equipments under the JTFR project the production capacity at these centres is showing a gradual increase.
The team also had an interaction with the members of the artisans of the (04) artisan craft clusters- Papier machie, Zadibal ,Crewel/ Chain Stitch, Noorbagh, Wool cluster, Bandipore ,and Willow Wicker, Ganderbal which have been developed under Restoration & Strengthening of livelihood component of World Bank funded JTFRP.
Hemang Karelia, World Bank expressed the hope that I&CD would develop market linkages to these artisans clusters and also devise a strategy for sustenance of these clusters after culmination of the project.
The visiting team also had meetings with Senior officers of , JKERA, PMU, JTFRP PWD, R&B, Kashmir and SMC wherein they were briefed about the progress achieved on the components of Construction of Roads and Bridges, Construction of Critical Infrastructure, Strengthening of Disaster Management Capacity aswell as Strengthening of Urban Flood Management being implemented by these agencies respectively.
World Bank team also visited the project site of construction of EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and SCADA control Room at Ompura being constructed by J&KERA at an allotted cost of Rs 34.88 Cr. under the World Bank funded JTFRP to strengthen Disaster Management Capacity in J&K.
Earlier during their 2 day stay in Jammu the World Bank team visited Sidhra-Suransar road, BaLA schools buildings constructed Puranapind R.S Pura ,Gujjarr Basti, Karnailacheck,, Jammu Division. The visiting World Bank had interactions with school children/ teachers at these newly constructed BaLa schools. The school children studying in these schools shared their positive experiences of learning in an altogether innovative ambience.
During visit to the (02) 300 LPM Oxygen Generation Plants constructed by J&KERA at Gaghwal and Hiranagar Hospitals, team interacted with medical professionals working in these hospitals. Locals of the areas expressed their gratitude to World Bank for having constructed the Oxygen plants in the hospitals.
Team also visited under construction (50m) steel motorable bridge from Katheel Ganjoo to Barsoa over Ghordi Nallah & 50 M span steel bridge from Barsoa to Patri over Barmeen Nallah in Udhampur District being constructed by J&KERA at a cost of 13.24 Crores.
PowerPoint Presentation was also made by the Director, Technical, J&KERA giving out details of the progress achieved on the implementation of World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project in the Jammu Division. Director, Jammu JKERA, and other senior officers of PWD (R&B) were also present on the occasion.

KR Desk