Work on J&K Legislature Complex resumes after 18 years

Srinagar, Aug 20 (UNI) The construction work on the multi-crore Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Legislature Complex here resumed today after nearly 18 years, when it was left midway following the outbreak of militancy in the Valley in 1989.

This follows special interest taken by (J&K) Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad in the revival and early completion of the Complex, an official spokesman said.

The new Legislature Complex will have Assembly and Council Halls, Central Hall, chambers of the two presiding officers, offices of the Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition, lobbies, Assembly and Council Secretariats, galleries for press, visitors and officers, library and canteen facilities. The built- up area of the Complex is 13,290 square metres, the spokesman added.

The construction work was restarted in the presence of Mr Azad, Assembly Speaker Tara Chand, Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Hameed Karra, Roads and Buildings Minister Gulchain Singh Charak and Assembly Deputy Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone.

The J&K Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC), the executing agency, has thus resumed work on the Rs 32.50 crore ambitious project coming up on sprawling 37 kanals of land in front of the Civil Secretariat here.

The Chief Minister had issued instructions for the revival of the project when he visited the site on August 9. He had asked the JKPCC to restart the construction work from August 20 when the Legislature meets again after a one-month recess during the ongoing session.

Following a devastating fire in the Legislature Complex situated on the banks of river Jhelum here in 1980, the state government had started the construction of a new building in 1982.

However, a makeshift wooden Complex was constructed in 1981, where sessions of the Legislative Assembly were being held since then.

Mr Azad and others went round all the floors of the three-storied Complex and inspected various sections of the building. On his last visit, the Chief Minister had asked the executing agency to complete the project by May 2008 so that the next session of the Legislature here was held in the new Complex.

Mr Azad has instructed the construction be taken up in three shifts by engaging dedicated supervisory staff and adequate work force to complete the project within the fixed timeframe.

He said the complex would come up as a landmark site in the summer capital of J&K.

UNI