Akhnoor Mini Sectt, Bhaderwah Complex reveal planning lapses
*Completion still hanging without clear schedule
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 14: Due to persistent administrative inefficiency and poor monitoring, multiple Government projects across Jammu and Kashmir continue to remain incomplete or non-functional years after their launch reflecting gaps in planning, execution and accountability.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Official replies to the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and departmental documents have revealed that crucial infrastructure in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir has been left stalled for years because of land disputes, funding shortages, missing records and prolonged procedural delays.
One of the most glaring examples is Mini-Secretariat at Akhnoor. Initiated in 2012 with the objective of strengthening local administrative infrastructure, the building has consumed over Rs 435 lakh in public funds, yet remains non-functional even after the lapse of so many years.
While the main structural work stands completed, finishing works have been stalled due to lack of funds, with authorities admitting that nearly Rs 387 lakh more is required to make the complex operational.
“The balance work will be taken up once adequate funding is available for the purpose”, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also Minister Incharge Revenue, conveyed to the MLA from the area Mohan Lal in response to a question
“While reviewing the pending/incomplete buildings of the Revenue Department in the month of November last year, the Government issued directions to the districts to submit fresh project proposals for the next Financial Year ensuring complete Administrative Approval/Technical Sanction as per the guidelines”, read the reply.
It has further been mentioned that Deputy Commissioners will submit revised Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for those projects with over 50% physical progress having both Administrative Approval and Technical Sanction.
It is really shocking that instead of immediate completion, officials have been asked to submit revised proposals and updated DPRs, pushing the long-pending project further into procedural processes without a clear timeline for completion.
The Revenue Complex at Bhaderwah has become yet another glaring example of administrative apathy and stalled execution. Taken up during 2007-08 by the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation at an estimated cost of Rs 518.84 lakh, the project has made negligible progress even after lapse of decades.
Despite the release and utilization of Rs 50 lakh, work remains limited to incomplete ground-floor columns, some barely reaching ground level and others only up to plinth level, leaving the structure far from functional.
In its latest response, the Government has stated that the DPR is still under revision with the Public Works (R&B) Department, to which the project was later transferred, highlighting how prolonged procedural delays and shifting departmental responsibility have effectively pushed the long-pending project into bureaucratic limbo.
Another glaring example is the Narang Tourist Hut project, which was initiated in 2010 and had reportedly achieved nearly 70 percent physical progress before work came to a standstill.
According to reply furnished to the MLA from the area Mian Mehar Ali, the construction was halted after objections were raised by local residents seeking compensation and employment claims linked to land ownership. Subsequent inquiries revealed that the structure falls on forest land beyond estate boundaries, triggering jurisdictional complications and prolonged correspondence between departments.
Adding to the embarrassment, the Tourism Department has conceded that exact financial details relating to the project cannot be readily retrieved as several records were reportedly damaged or lost during the devastating 2014 floods, highlighting glaring weaknesses in institutional record-keeping and disaster preparedness within Government offices.
“In view of the pending dispute and unresolved site-related issue, no further funds have been projected under any scheme”, the Government has conveyed to the MLA.
“These revelations collectively paint a grim picture of governance where projects are announced without robust groundwork, monitoring mechanisms remain weak and accountability for delays is rarely fixed. The recurring issues ranging from land disputes and funding gaps to missing records reflect deeper structural deficiencies within the administrative machinery rather than isolated lapses”, official sources said.
They suggested that a clear roadmap should be drawn immediately for completion and immediate corrective measures to prevent further wastage of public funds.
The post Administrative apathy leaves several Govt projects incomplete for decades appeared first on Daily Excelsior.