By: Aabid Hameed
Pulwama: After completion of four years, the authorities have miserably failed to complete the construction of a mini-secretariat in Tral town of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. However, the sources informed that the work has come to a grinding halt from last two years.
Sources told Precious Kashmir that mini-secretariat was sanctioned in Tral in 2017 with an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore, however, with no funds available, the project is nowhere near completion.
Locals said that the mini-secretariat was sanctioned with an aim to provide all services in Tral and to cut down travel time as district headquarters Pulwama is around 30 Kms from Tral.
They said that a land, which was under horticulture department, was given for the purpose of the mini Secretariat, adding that even after completion of four years, only 30 per cent of the work has been done and since last two years, the work is on complete halt.
Even for minor work, they are being forced to visit Pulwama, which is pushing the local populace here to the wall, said Kousar Ahmad, a local resident.
He said that this issue has been brought into the notice of the authorities several times but to no avail.
Locals urged the higher ups to look into the matter and complete the project as an earliest so that they could heave a sigh of relief.
Deputy General Manager JKPCC Pulwama Er Masood Ahmad said that before abrogation of Article 370, the local MLA had provided Rs 1 crore for the project, which is the only amount they have received so far.
He said that after August 05, 2019, the project doesn’t exist in any scheme, however, they have completed process to include it in languishing projects, the approval of which is still awaited.
He added that they are hopeful that it will be approved soon and funds will be made available so that work on the project can be restarted.
