Hajin Mini-Secretariat In Limbo, Courtesy Dearth Of Funds

Hajin Mini-Secretariat In Limbo, Courtesy Dearth Of Funds

Srinagar: The alleged lack of funds for the proposed mini-secretariat, here in the Hajin area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, is playing a major impediment to the timely completion of the project. Non-payment of bills has also left the contractor of the project “disillusioned and dejected”.
The project was sanctioned more than five years back, with an aim to bring the administration to the doorstep of the people living in Hajin. “The idea was to cut down on interdepartmental dealings for the convenience of the general public,” a senior official in the Bandipora administration told Kashmir Reader.
A total of 4.036 Crore Rupees were earmarked for the completion of the project, which was entrusted to the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department. Five years down the line, however, the project is still far from completion much to the annoyance of the general public.
As per the sources in the R&B, the funds have been really hard to come by leaving the project in a soup. “The contractor has bills worth more than 1.25 Crore Rupees pending and he has been very reluctant to keep working. He has in fact stopped work for a couple of months because he is left with no resources,” the sources said.
They said that the contractor has, out of goodwill, even completed the tile-work, and the granite work on the project – but is not willing to go any further now.
People in the area say that they have been really looking forward to the completion of the project but to no avail. “We thought our life will get a little easier with the administrative offices here in Hajin. But it was not to be,” the locals said, adding, “The pace it is being constructed on, it might take another decade to complete.”
The people have to travel all the way to Sumbal and the district headquarters for even the smallest of official chores. “We thought that is going to change but looks unlikely with the way things are moving,” the locals said.
Kashmir Reader talked to the Assistant Executive Engineer R&B for the Sumbal division, Shamsuddin Ahmad, who acknowledged that there has been an “acute lack of funds” for the project.
“We have a huge liability of the contractor and the work has been severely affected on the project,” the AEE said, adding, “The department is in touch with the concerned authorities for redressal of the issue.”

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