The new Administration seems to be listening
CM forms task force for speedy work of city roads
Jammu: Chief minister (CM) Omar Abdullah has set up a task force headed by Cabinet minister Ali Muhammad Sagar to gear up the work on road projects in Srinagar City.
An official handout said the task force would monitor “acquisition of land and structures and to facilitate removal of other bottlenecks in the construction, up-gradation and improvement of ongoing R&B projects in the summer capital, especially Syed Mirakshah and Khaniyar-Zadibal-Pandach roads.”
Abdullah was reviewing progress of these projects at a high-level meeting which among others was attended by Sagar.
Abdullah said the expansion of twin cities of Srinagar and Jammu calls for a holistic and integrated approach to address the civic demands, upgrading basic amenities and managing traffic and transport.
“A scientific approach is required to be taken to address all issues that have crept in by unbalanced growth and extension of cities during last many years”, he said, adding a policy to correct the wrongs and accommodate justified demands should be put into place to manage the affairs of providing basic amenities to the citizens.
“We have to think of satellite cities for Srinagar and Jammu to accommodate the futuristic civic requirements and the growth of population and economic activities”, he added.
While executing road projects, a realistic approach should be adopted for providing compensation to the affected even as their rehabilitation should be a priority, the CM told R&B officials.
A separate Collector will be exclusively provided for Syed Mirakshah road so that compensation cases could be cleared within shortest possible time and work on road projects is carried forward meticulously.
Earlier, Sagar highlighted the need for early completion of various road projects launched in the City some years back. He said the work on various such projects has either come to the standstill or is going at a snail’s pace.
“The need of hour is that the work on these projects is accelerated to complete these in shortest possible time”, Sagar said, adding ample funds are already available for such projects and there is a need to put in efforts by the concerned agencies to speed up the work.
The meeting among others was attended by financial commissioner, Planning and Development, S. L. Bhat, principal secretary to CM, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, commissioner/secretary, Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey, commissioner/ secretary, R&B, Mehboob Iqbal, commissioner/secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Naseema Lanker, chief engineer, R&B, Kashmir, Mohammad Shafi Mir.
The chief engineer, R&B gave detailed status of these road projects and said that Syed Mirakshah Road Project from Dalgate to Zakura is being executed in seven sectors namely Dalgate-Khonekhan, Khonekhan-Rainawari, Rainawari-Saidakadal, Saidakadal-Ashaibagh, Ashaibagh-Hazratbal, Hazratbal-Habak and Habak to Zakura Crossing.
He said Rs 55 crore have been released to R&B Department for the construction of this road project.
TASK FORCE POINTS
● Omar chairs high-level meet
● Cabinet minister Ali Muhammad
● Sagar speaks of snail pace, standstill on road projects
● Is made to head Task Force for monitoring
● Separate collector for Syed Mirakh Shah road compensation cases
(Greater Kashmir)