Commissioner Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD), Mandeep Kaur, today chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the progress of flood restoration works being executed under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. The meeting, held in the office of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), followed by extensive on-site inspections of various project locations across the city.
The review meeting was attended by the Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Dr. Devansh Yadav; Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu; engineering officers from all the concerned divisions including UEED Jammu and the contractors executing the projects.
During the meeting, Commissioner JMC made a detailed presentation on the physical and financial progress of the ongoing flood restoration works and apprised of the status of various projects being undertaken across Jammu city.
The Commissioner Secretary directed all the executing agencies to ensure expeditious completion of the projects. She emphasized that an expenditure of nearly ₹250 crores under the sanctioned works must be booked by the end of August 2026. She reiterated that there would be no compromise on quality and that all works must adhere strictly to the prescribed technical specifications and timelines.
Expressing concern over the approaching monsoon season, Mandeep Kaur issued strict instructions to all the executing agencies and contractors to take adequate precautionary measures so that development works and construction materials are not exposed to rain and water logging, resulting in damage or wastage of public funds. She directed that proper site protection measures, including covering of construction materials, ensuring adequate drainage arrangements and safeguarding the completed portions of works, be put in place immediately.
The Commissioner Secretary emphasized that every rupee of public money must be utilized judiciously. She cautioned that any negligence leading to avoidable damage to ongoing works due to rain or improper site management would be viewed seriously and attract strict action.
During the meeting, Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation informed the Commissioner Secretary that the JMC and the executing agencies have already been directed to maintain strict vigilance at all project sites in view of the anticipated rains. He emphasized the need for advance planning and regular monitoring to protect completed and ongoing works from water damage. He instructed the engineering teams to ensure that adequate preventive measures are implemented on priority so that there is no loss of public resources or disruption to project timelines.
The Commissioner Secretary also underscored the need for maintaining the highest standards of quality in all construction activities. She instructed the engineering wings to undertake regular inspections, material testing and strict quality control measures at every stage of execution. Contractors were directed to augment manpower and deploy adequate machinery at the project sites to accelerate the pace of work and avoid any slippages in timelines.
Immediately after the review meeting, Mandeep Kaur undertook field inspection of several project sites across the city to personally assess the ground situation and monitor the progress of the works.
During the inspections, the Commissioner Secretary interacted with the engineers and contractors, reviewed project drawings and execution plans and assessed the quality of materials and workmanship on-site. She assured all possible administrative and financial support for smooth execution of the projects but cautioned that any avoidable delay, negligence or compromise on quality would be viewed seriously and attract strict action.