Ajay Sharma
Jammu, August 17: Contrary to the government’s claims of promoting an efficient work culture, the Public Works Department (PWD) is reportedly grappling with what insiders call an “additional charge syndrome”, where single officers are burdened with multiple districts and key positions.
According to sources, a single Chief Engineer of PWD Jammu is handling four crucial positions simultaneously. Apart from his primary role, he also oversees the PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana) operations in both Jammu and Srinagar and holds the top position of Engineer-in-Chief, which is meant to be singular for the Union Territory.
Officials reveal that chronic vacancies and delayed promotions are crippling infrastructure development across the region. By late June, at least three Chief Engineer posts were lying vacant. By mid-July, the crisis deepened, with eight out of 11 posts unfilled, forcing the administration to rely on “additional charge” arrangements.
This arrangement is not just straining officers but also directly affecting citizens. “Public is harassed. We go to offices but don’t find officers as one person is handling 4-5 charges,” sources said, adding that accountability is missing since no public information is shared regarding officer availability.
Sources allege that a handful of engineers are “enjoying” multiple charges while senior officers’ promotion files remain stuck. “Why is it necessary to assign 4 charges to one officer? Don’t they have qualified Chief Engineers? When will promotions happen?” they asked.
Pointing to systemic failure, the sources demanded that the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Secretary, and Principal Commissioner of PWD explain the reliance on additional charges. They have also urged Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, who holds the PWD portfolio, to order a probe into the matter.
