Jammu: Congress leaders Raman Bhalla and Ravinder Sharma on Friday raised the pending installation of a statue of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital in Gangyal and sought urgent restoration of a damaged link road in Sunderbani during a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary.
Bhalla, former minister and working president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), and Sharma, the party’s chief spokesperson and former MLC, discussed the statue installation, for which Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had earlier issued directions following a request from a Congress delegation led by Bhalla, according to a party statement.
The deputy chief minister spoke to the concerned authorities and assured the Congress leaders that the necessary steps would be taken at the earliest.
During the meeting, Sharma sought immediate restoration of the Sunderbani Swami Ji Ashram-Doba-Lamman road, which has reportedly remained blocked for vehicular traffic for more than three months following erosion of the eastern riverbank.
He said the disruption had caused hardship to around 3,000 residents of Doba, Lamman and adjoining Kund areas, and called for the road to be restored pending approval and sanction of a comprehensive project.
Choudhary directed the concerned executive engineer of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department to take up restoration work immediately to ease the difficulties faced by residents, the statement said.
Sharma also submitted a memorandum seeking the inclusion of Swami Vishwatmanand Ji Ashram and its surrounding areas in a broader development plan to promote the location as a religious, cultural and spiritual tourism destination. He called for improved road connectivity and other infrastructure through relevant development and religious tourism schemes.
The deputy chief minister agreed to Sharma’s suggestion to visit the area in the near future to assess the scope for further development projects.
Sharma also urged the government to expedite development works, particularly road connectivity, in Sunderbani, alleging that the area had faced neglect in several sectors.
Senior Congress leader Jatin Vashisht accompanied Bhalla and Sharma during the meeting.
