"Various key projects are not only facing delays but massive cost escalations due to the prevailing situation as the labour from outside the state have abandoned the works and the machinery deployed by contractors is lying idle," Chief Executive Officer, Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), Vinod Sharma said chairing a meeting to discuss alternative strategies for completion of these projects here.
Construction of Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover and expressway corridor in Srinagar city has been abandoned as more than 600 skilled and semi-skilled labourers from outside the state left for their homes, leaving the work sites.
He said the meeting was also informed that the Sanitary Landfill Site Cell at Achhan aimed at city waste disposal has been delayed due to lack of availability of good earth, forcing the Municipal Corporation to dump the waste in open leading to unhygienic conditions. The project was scheduled to be completed by end of this month, the spokesman said.
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He said the storm water drainage system from Rawalpora Chowk to Chanapora bridge and other projects taken up by ERA with loan from ADB are also facing similar delays due to skilled and semi-skilled labourers abandoning the construction sites in middle of last month, lack of requisite construction material including cement, sand, good earth, and equipment at sites.
"Delays in these projects will lead to lack of requisite funding thereby depriving a large population and area in the Valley from vital facilities and projects which have been planned and under execution after hectic efforts of the government," Sharma said.
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