Div Com reviews progress of Jhelum Water Transport Project

Srinagar, Nov 4: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress made in resolving various issues and bottlenecks affecting the progress of water transport facilities along River Jhelum.
The meeting was convened to assess the status of issues faced by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) project and to ensure coordinated efforts among the concerned departments for facilitating the smooth execution and timely advancement of the Jhelum Water Transport Project.
The meeting was attended by the Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar and Bandipora, Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir, representatives of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), and officers from the Public Health Engineering (PHE), Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC), Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) and other concerned departments.
During the meeting, the Divisional Commissioner undertook a detailed review of the progress on several critical issues requiring inter-departmental coordination and timely intervention.
The matters discussed included road widening and removal of trees at Gund Parang, disposal of treated wastewater, and installation of electricity connections and provision of water supply at eight identified locations to facilitate the development of essential infrastructure for water transport operations.
He also reviewed the status of shifting electrical utilities at Maharaj Gunj and Pantha Chowk, emphasising the need for expediting the process to avoid any further delays in the execution of project-related works.
The meeting further deliberated on the development and improvement of approach roads at Sumbal and Sangam, removal of barricading at Amira Kadal, and shifting of houseboats wherever required to facilitate the smooth movement and operation of water transport facilities along the river.
Other important issues reviewed during the meeting included renovation of the Chattabal Navigational Lock, besides relocation of stone-chiselling units and dress vendors operating at Pantha Chowk to ensure that these activities do not impede the progress of the project.
Taking stock of the progress achieved so far, the Divisional Commissioner issued a series of directions to the concerned departments, asking them to take necessary measures and resolve the pending issues on priority.
He stressed the importance of close coordination among all stakeholder departments and called for a result-oriented approach to address the identified bottlenecks within the shortest possible time.
The Divisional Commissioner underscored that the Jhelum Water Transport Project is being closely monitored by the Government of India and, therefore, all concerned departments must demonstrate urgency and commitment in completing the requisite preparatory works.
He impressed upon the officers to accelerate the pace of work, expedite the shifting of utilities and ensure timely resolution of all pending issues so that the project can move forward without unnecessary delays.