Non-availability of gravel puts spanner in timely completion of AIIMS project

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: The prestigious AIIMS project being set up in Vijaypur tehsil of Samba district is facing teething problems due to non-availability of gravel, sand and other minor minerals due to ambiguous policies of Geology and Mining Department. The work, which had started quite quickly, is facing problems for last one month. The Government wants to complete the project on time and is leaving no stone unturned in this regard but shortage of minor minerals has slowed down the pace of this exalted project.
The administration wants to showcase project as one of the major achievements of Central Government and wants to finish it well within time frame, so that a major demand of people of Jammu division is fulfilled, but non-availability of building material is bound to delay project in spite of best efforts of executing agency, contractors and other stakeholders.
As per reports, the construction work of AIIMS was running very smoothly but shortage of gravel and other minor minerals, which were sourced from Kathua district, are in short supply for last one month. A project of this magnitude requires such materials in very large quantities; the company executing project is unable to get a proper and continuous supply of minor minerals, which is bound to delay the project.
Sources, privy to development, are of the view that pace of work has slowed down considerably and due to non-availability of gravels, things are slipping out of hand. If no alternative arrangement is put in place shortly, the whole work may come to a grinding halt.