Avinash Azad
The Jammu and Kashmir government today announced that 11 bridges and 765 buildings under the Education Department have been declared unsafe following safety audits conducted by the government.
In a written reply submitted in response to a question raised by MLA Shamim Firdous, the government informed that the Public Works (R&B) Department has completed a safety audit of 382 bridges that were constructed over 20 years ago. During the audit, 11 bridges were found to be unsafe, while 250 bridges required major repairs and 121 needed minor repairs. The unsafe bridges have been closed, and their reconstruction is currently in progress. The reconstruction of these bridges and the repairs of other bridges have also been initiated.
Additionally, the department has begun the safety audit of all bridges constructed between 10 and 20 years ago, which is currently ongoing.
The School Education Department conducts safety audits of school buildings annually under the National School Safety Program as part of a regular exercise. Furthermore, every private school is required to submit a building safety certificate to the Department of School Education to obtain recognition.
The Education Department has identified 765 unsafe buildings that are not being used for teaching purposes. A substantial number of these structures are being dismantled following proper codal formalities. All heads of the concerned institutions have been instructed not to use unsafe buildings to protect the lives of students, staff, and the general public. Additionally, the damaged or dilapidated buildings under the School Education Department are being assessed by the Public Works (R&B) Department on a case-by-case basis. If a building is found to be unsafe, it is declared as such and is no longer used.
In the Health Department, safety audits are also conducted on a case-by-case basis. Repair, renovation, and extension works of hospital buildings are undertaken based on need assessment and technical feasibility, which includes safety parameters for carrying out such work. Notably, based on technical opinions, Block A of the District Hospital in Anantnag was concluded at G+2 level instead of G+4. Additionally, the Rehmat-e-Alam Hospital building located at Sarnal Anantnag was declared unsafe for hospital usage by IIT Jammu during a safety audit. The government remains committed to ensuring the safety of public infrastructure and has taken proactive steps to address identified risks through audits, repairs, and reconstruction efforts.
