Srinagar City set to be at its charming best by mid April: Chief Secy

Srinagar, Feb 27: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta Monday had a whirlwind tour of Srinagar City. He took on-spot assessment of different developmental works taken up under Smart City and by other executing agencies around the city and also fixed timeline for completion of each.
On the occasion, the Chief Secretary was accompanied by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar; Commissioner, SMC; VC, LCMA; and many other concerned officers of Police and Civil administration.
Dr Mehta observed that the city is going to change for better by mid April this year. He said that the city is going to change its outlook altogether with the completion of these projects at different stages of execution presently. He further added that these works would give a massive facelift to the city thereby enhancing its appeal for all the residents and tourists.
The Chief Secretary visited different project sites under Smart City Mission. He took stock of the progress of work on each of them and passed on several directions for their early completion. He stressed on timely completion of all these works in the wake upcoming tourist sesson .
While taking on-spot assessment of the Jhelum River front development the Chief Secretary enjoined upon the officers to complete the work by 15th of April. He asked them to develop the footpath including its finishing, cycle track, green spaces, landscaping and undergrounding of electrical cables etc forthwith. The project is to be completed at a cost of Rs 32.50 Cr.
At Polo View, the Chief Secretary emphasized on making the entire area aesthetically appealing adopting an integrated approach. He asked for facade improvement of adjoining buildings and carry out other beautification works simultaneously. The work also includes laying of PQC along polo view tube, macadamisation of new Polo View Road, Construction of office cum toilet block, fencing by iron grill panels, rationalization of utilities, laying of quality tiles and stones and creating seating arrangement around chinar trees besides landscaping of the area. The work of surfacing etc along with other drainage works are being completed at a cost of Rs 5.13 Cr.
On visit to Dal Lake, Dr Mehta inspected the work of lake front development along Northern Foreshore Road of the Lake from Nishat to Naseem Bagh including pedestrian walkway. The development also has components of cycle track construction & viewing decks. He urged the authorities to ensure its completion by 15th of April this year. He also instructed for completing the lighting of Western Fore Shore Road by 15th of March itself.
The Chief Secretary highlighted the need for connecting all the houseboats with the STPs. He directed for utilizing the 36 MLD capacity of Sewage Treatment optimally and connect all the 900 houseboats in the lake with the Sewage lines. He asked them to divert the residual to oxidation ponds out of the 48 MLD produced daily.
He exhorted upon the concerned to start the motorboats to commence their cruise and initiate water sports activities in the lake by 15th of March. He asked them to repair all the Jetties and segregate them from the ones for motor boats. He told the Culture Department to start their activities full throttle at 5-Chinar by 15th of March and turn Pratap Park in the heart of the civil lines of the city into a culture centre.
The Chief Secretary also examined the works for upgradation and redevelopment of Nishat Bagh precinct including allied road works, pathways, plaza, wooden deck and landscaping of its surroundings. He also reviewed redevelopment of Residency Road including construction of underground utilities and improvement and upgradation of Maulana Azad Road. He made out that all these road stretches are very vital as these lead to city centre. He underscored the need for completing all these developmental works by April.
Regarding other works he instructed for ornamental plantations on road medians, painting of grills/kerbs, improvement of Dal Gate and Gupkar junctions, erection of around 1500 lights in the lanes and bye-lanes, erection of view cutter on all fly overs, sprucing-up of Iqbal Park, Boundary wall of Hazratbal shrine, Macdamization of city roads and the parking lot near Lal-Ded Hospital before April.
He also urged all the departments to carryout improvement, distempering, painting, focus lighting etc. of their buildings and sprucing up of green areas within their jurisdiction by the scheduled time. He further directed for making functional all the billboards in and around the city with banners relating to 38 new tourist & trekking destinations, heritage sites, Sufi shrines by the end of March.
The Chief Secretary was assured by the executing agencies that they are committed to complete all these projects. They apprised him that they would enhance the pace of work on each site. They further revealed that they are working day in and out even in these winter months for meeting all the deadlines set by him during this visit.