SAROOR
JAMMU: The much awaited dream project—River Tawi Artificial Lake —for which the people of Jammu are eagerly waiting, is expected to see a ray of hope with completion of its civil work to be followed by its beautification thereafter.
The entire project is worth Rs 180 crores out of which Rs 150 crores are being spent on the civil works alone.
Official sources in the administration said that the civil work on the prestigious project, which also has an importance with regard to tourism, will be completed by October-November.
“The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 180 crores,” they said adding that Rs 150 crores are being utilised for the completion of civil works.
“Hopefully, the project will be handed over to the public by year end but the deadline may get stretched by a month or so, not more than that, depending upon the rains during the monsoon season,” they added.
The project once completed will not only increase tourism influx in Jammu but also generate employment to the local populace, he stated.
“The company earlier undertaking the project, went bankrupt following which, the contract was allotted to a new company after tenderisation,” adding the official said, “the work on Nikki Tawi is yet to be completed but the project, which mainly is on the main river, has completed by 80 to 85.”
However, a battery of hoteliers also demanded early completion of this project that has an important role in boosting the economy of Jammu with regard to tourism.
Notably, the project of River Tawi barrage was initiated in 1986 by the then governor Jagmohan but the work on it started in December, 2009 at an estimated cost of Rs 58 crores during the Congress and NC governments.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also laid the foundation of the project, which was to be completed in three years but could not take off and remained stalled.
Then in 2017, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also inspected the work on this project.
“After revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, the administration ordered resumption of the construction work and the Lieutenant Governor Governor Manoj Sinha after consulting several stakeholders and experts brought this project under an ambit of Smart City and Tawi River Front,” official sources added.
The project had already missed several deadlines in the years 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, but expected to be completed by this year’s end, they added.
The lake will be around 1.5-km long and 600 meters wide to be constructed at Belicharana near the fourth bridge of the Jammu city with a motive to attract tourists and devotees.
