Delays and Deadlines
AIIMS, Kashmir is one of the prestigious infrastructural projects that the people in the valley are hoping to see operational before long. It has now been some years that people carried this expectation with them, but now it looks like that this major health facility will start its operations soon. In a response to a question, the Chief Secretary himself expressed that it is expected to see AIIMS, Kashmir operational by the end of this year.
Explaining the reasons of delay in such mega projects the information divulged by the Chief Secretary was that there were no coordination related issues in this case. We have seen that the official procedures, especially cross departmental, sometimes result in longer delays in such projects. But in this case, thankfully, there are no coordination related delays. The reasons that remain fall in the category of execution. In simpler terms the executing agency, for whatever reasons, has not succeeded in completing the project by the time envisaged under the primary timeline. Whether the reasons are valid or not, the larger questions remains. Why a similar project in Jammu didn't face those execution related delays.
Without being cynical or unrealistic about it, there is a reason for the concerned officers to consult some experts on what can be done to overcome the reasons of delay, if they are majorly in the realm of execution. Why the same project in the same UT is completed in time, and here it lags behind by years? Is it that managing the necessary labour force in Kashmir is more difficult than outside Kashmir? If it is so, why can't we have a solution to it. After all the same problem can be turned into an opportunity for the unemployed youth of the valley. Moreover, if the labour component can be clubbed with technology and efficient equipment, making it a skill based component, it can become socially more acceptable for the educated youth.
The point is that if the reasons for execution related delays are clearly spelt out, it can create newer opportunities, besides ensuring that the major infrastructural projects didn't endlessly struggle with meeting the deadlines.
