MUBARAK MANDI: Out of Rs. 300 Crores for renovation, Only 1 percent Spent in 4 years

No Time Limit fixed for Mubarak Mandi Heritage Project

Out of Rs. 300 Crores for renovation, Only 1 percent  Spent in 4 years

Jammu: In a  shocking respond of an RTI query, the Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society has admitted that out of Rs. 300 crores only 1 percent amount has been spent for the renovation of the Historical Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex  so far.

The RTI application dated 24/Sept/2012  filed by activist Raman Sharma reveals that  the total estimated cost of the Mubrak Mandi project is Rs. 300 crore out of which only Rs. 3.52 crore has been utilized by the society for the restoration of a portion of the historic symbol of this Dogra Heritage and  the renovation work is carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India which has also submitted utilization certificate dated 23/Jan/2012 amounting Rs. 3.52 Crores (Rs. 284,19,466 for conservation work and Rs. 67,49,534 as departmental charges) dated 23/Jan/2012 .

In his application RTI Activist Raman Sharma has asked information on total 10 points, with regard to point no. 2 of the RTI query, the MMJHS vide their communication letter no FD/MMJHS/9173 dated 04/10/2012 has  informed that the government of India has sanctioned Rs. 4.37 Crores for renovation/Restoration of erstwhile Army Head Quarter and Rs. 8.51 Crore stands released under 13^th finance commission for restoration of Raja Amar Singh Palace, Dogra Art Musesum, Badi Deori, Royal Court, Gadvai Khana and Mahal of Raja Ram Singh's Queens.

However the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society has divulged a very astonishing fact, while replying to point no. 6 and 7 related to scheduled  time limit fixed for completion of the ongoing restoration project, the reply signed by  Executive Director of the MMJH society acknowledges the fact that no time limit has been fixed for the project.  On the question of inspections of the construction site and recommendations thereafter the society has stated that frequent inspections on ongoing project is done by the governing body as well as the Executive Committee Members (official/Non official) of Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society and the members check the work as per the estimates and there are no recommendations whatsoever.

It is also informed that till date 4 governing body meetings held under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Chief Minister and 20 meetings of the Executive Committee held under the Chairmanship of Chairman Executive Committee of Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society. It is pertinent to mention here that this historic project was commissioned in October 2008 and the people of Jammu region were jubilant for the initiative of state and union governments to take up the renovation project.  If the pace of work continues to be like this then this project would not be even accomplished in 100 years  because in 4 years only 1 percent of amount utilizes.

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