Rajesh Gupta
Jammu, April 29: A major initiative led & taken by one of the most competent IAS officer, Shailendra Kumar as Pr Secretary, PWD(R&B) to strengthen infrastructure quality in the Public Works Department has failed to achieve its intended outcome, raising concerns over administrative inefficiency and wastage of public resources to crores.
During his tenure, Kumar had issued a series of orders to establish and operationalize material testing laboratories within the department. The move was aimed at ensuring better quality control and accountability in construction projects by enabling in-house testing of materials.
However, despite clear directives, several officers who were assigned to join these laboratories reportedly did not relieved from their existing posts. As a result, some laboratories have remained non-functional.
Sources indicated that costly machinery, worth crores of rupees, installed in these facilities is now lying idle and deteriorating due to lack of use and maintenance. The situation has not only led to financial losses but also undermined the very purpose of setting up these labs.
In the absence of operational testing facilities, material testing work is allegedly being outsourced to external, non-accountable sources, raising further concerns about transparency and quality assurance in public works.
The issue has sparked criticism from various quarters, with calls for accountability and immediate corrective measures to revive the laboratories and prevent further loss to the exchequer.
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