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Kashmir’s public infrastructure deserves better than delayed projects, poor workmanship and weak accountability. Roads, bridges, drainage systems, government buildings and other public works consume large amounts of taxpayer money. Yet, complaints about substandard construction, delays and repeated repairs remain common.
The problem is not contracting itself. Contractors play an important role in building and maintaining public infrastructure. The real concern is the lack of effective accountability after a contract is awarded.
A contractor who fails to complete work on time should face clear financial consequences. A contractor who uses poor quality material should be required to repair or rebuild the defective work at his own cost. Repeated violations should affect eligibility for future government contracts.
Government departments must also accept responsibility. Accountability cannot stop with the contractor. Engineers and officials who certify poor quality work must face scrutiny. Site inspections should be regular, documented and transparent. Quality tests should be carried out independently wherever possible.
Kashmir needs a stronger system of contract monitoring. Every major public project should have clear timelines, quality standards and responsibility fixed from the beginning. Information about the project, including its estimated cost, contractor, completion deadline and present status, should be available to the public.
Technology can also improve oversight. Photographs, geo-tagged inspections and digital progress reports can make it harder to hide delays or defective work. Citizens should have an easy way to report damaged roads, unfinished projects and visible construction defects.
There is also a need to end the culture of repeated extensions. Extensions may sometimes be justified because of weather, land disputes or other genuine reasons. But they should not become a routine escape from contractual obligations.
Public money carries a public responsibility. When a road develops cracks soon after construction, or a newly built structure requires major repairs, the cost is ultimately borne by taxpayers. Poor construction also creates safety risks and damages public trust.
The administration must therefore move from paperwork-based supervision to result-based accountability. Contractors who deliver quality work on time should be rewarded with credibility and future opportunities. Those who repeatedly fail should face penalties, blacklisting where justified, and recovery of losses according to law.
Kashmir does not need more announcements about development. It needs durable development that people can see and use. Strong contracts, strict inspections and real consequences can ensure that public money produces public value.
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