Commissioner SMC chairs strategic meeting to strengthen Urban Services, Governance

Srinagar, Jul 19: In a focused effort to enhance civic services and accelerate Srinagar’s urban development, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Faz Lul Haseeb, convened a high-level meeting with senior officers from all departments of the Corporation.
The meeting served as a platform to review departmental performance and outline clear directions for improving service delivery, infrastructure maintenance, grievance redressal, and administrative efficiency across the city.
Commissioner SMC emphasized the need for all departments to operate with punctuality, accountability, and a citizen-first approach.
He directed the wing to maintain office discipline, ensure timely file disposal, and improve internal coordination to avoid service delays.
Haseeb instructed officers to revisit and align planning initiatives with the city’s dynamic growth requirements. He directed the Urban Planning, Town Planning, and Enforcement Wings to streamline the building permission process, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and compliance with the Master Plan and building by-laws.
Commissioner called for proactive field monitoring and immediate action against encroachments and illegal constructions to protect public assets and planned development.
He emphasized the need to expedite repairs and upgrades of roads, drains, and dewatering stations, especially in flood-prone areas.
He also instructed strict monitoring and timely completion of all civil works, maintaining both pace and quality.
Commissioner called for intensified sanitation drives, efficient garbage collection, and regular hygiene audits across all wards.
He directed the department to scale up Animal Birth Control (ABC) operations and improve responsiveness to stray animal complaints.
Commissioner stressed adherence to financial discipline, timely payments, and full transparency in procurement procedures. He advised digitization of services and public access to records, particularly for birth and death certificates and property management.
He instructed timely legal support to departments, active follow-up on court cases, and pre-emptive legal vetting of decisions.
Regarding grievance redressal, Commissioner directed all departments to strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms by ensuring prompt response to public complaints received through various channels including the SMC helpline, social media platforms, and ward-level offices. A clear escalation matrix should be maintained to ensure resolution within defined timeframes.
He instructed the Control Room staff to maintain round-the-clock vigilance and ensure real-time coordination with field teams. All emergency or citizen distress calls must be recorded, monitored, and resolved promptly. The Control Room was also directed to prepare daily status reports for the Commissioner’s office.
Haseeb underscored the importance of measurable outcomes, inter-departmental synergy, and transparent service delivery.
Attendees included heads and senior officials from key departments such as Administration, Urban and Town Planning, Enforcement and Anti-Encroachment, Civil Works, Mechanical, Drainage, Public Health, Sanitation, Solid Waste Management, Veterinary Services, Finance, Procurement, Estates, Vital Statistics, Legal Wing, and the 24×7 Control Room.