G20 Summit: Div Com takes stock of preparations

Srinagar, Jan 19: In the run-up to host first ever G20 Summit in Srinagar in May, the Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole Thursday conducted an extensive tour of major roads and prime sites along these roads including parks, government buildings, commercial structures and under construction sites in Srinagar.
At the outset, Div Com Kashmir held a meeting of officers at Srinagar Airport during which he highlighted the importance of hosting G20 Summit at Srinagar and issued slew of instructions to enhance the facade of roads through development of foot paths, medians, traffic road furnishing, landscape improvement, installation of roadside VMDs, installation of hoardings besides removal of wooden poles, rusted plant guards, hanging cable wires and unnecessary road dividers and debris.
On the occasion, Div Com directed for painting of Government buildings and commercial building walls along the roads to increase the aesthetic value of those structures. He directed for pruning of trees, plantation of ornamental green plants on medians, removal of withered trees.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation, VC LCMA, Chief Engineer PDD and officers of Tourism, Traffic, Hospitality & Protocol, PWD, NHAI, BSNL, Social Forestry, Urban Forestry, Floriculture, Airport Authority and other allied departments.
Later, Div Com commenced the extensive tour from the Airport and inspected ongoing works at several locations. During the tour he was accompanied by DC Srinagar, Commissioner SMC and other officers.
In lieu of G20 Summit, the roads which are to be developed and upgraded by concerned agencies include Road from Srinagar Airport to SKICC, Residency Road, Boulevard Road, roads leading to Hotel Lalit, Hotel Taj and Nehru Guest House, roads leading to mutual gardens, Parimahal, Cheshmashahi, Botanical Garden, Srinagar to Gulmarg, Roads towards Zeastha Temple, Shankar Acharya, Dalgate to Hazratbal, besides beautification of spaces under flyovers.
During the tour, Div Com directed PHE to replace overground water pipes through underground system to clear space on footpaths and roads.
He asked floriculture departments to replace the dried up flower plants from hanging flower pots with new plants and correct the orientation of pots.
To clear the visual pollution of wires and cables, he directed for removal of cables and wire meshes. Pole asked traffic police for orientation of traffic signals and functioning of traffic signals besides installation of traffic signages.
Also, Div Com instructed for use of Swachh Bharat Mission symbols and boards with the ranking of the city on SBM. Besides, he underlined the installation of welcome signages and boards at different locations.
To meet the developmental requirements and upgradation works on time, Div Com set the time frame for all the departments and asked them to submit a compliance report of planned works after every 15 days. He fixed the deadline for all the works by 15 April, 2023 beyond which he said no work shall extend.
He directed for homogeneous & synchronized display boards of commercial establishments at markets and along the said roads.
Div Com also inspected ongoing works at Lal Chowk, for redevelopment of Lal Chowk precinct, Jhelum Bund, Ghats and other sites.