Ahead of Durbar Move, Mufti stresses on improving city infra

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 26

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today called a high-level meeting to take firsthand information on the status of ongoing developmental and restoration projects in the city centre and suburbs.

The meeting was held to improve the aesthetics and ambience of the summer capital even as the Durbar Move offices are scheduled to reopen here on May 5, said an official statement.

The Chief Minister issued directions to the Power Development Department to maintain streetlights in the city. He said the PDD would be provided adequate funds to maintain the streetlights.

Mufti told the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to ensure that people got building permissions in a hassle-free manner so that they did not resort to illegal constructions.

The IGP, Kashmir, was directed to provide adequate manpower to the SMC and the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) so that no illegal structure came up in the city.

For the beautification of Dal Lake, Mufti instructed the LAWDA to take effective steps in realigning houseboats as per the court directions so that common sewage treatment plan (STP) was installed for proper sewage disposal.

The statement said the LAWDA would create five clusters of 76 houseboats each after the boats were realigned for proper sewage disposal.

The Chief Minister also issued directions to the Handicrafts Department for undertaking geographical indication registration of the famed handicrafts products as well as starting round-the-clock crafts centre at the Kashmir Haat so that the visitors could buy genuine products.

To attract tourists to Srinagar city, Mufti issued instructions to focus on the conference tourism by inviting the corporate sector to hold board meetings here.

He also asked the Tourism Department to start light-and-sound shows at the Shalimar and Nishat gardens, besides cultural evenings at the Char Chinari in the Dal Lake.

Mufti told the Director, Tourism, to offer weekend and golf tourism packages for high-end tourists.

It was also decided in the meeting that the Tourism Department would organise a J&K Travel Mart from May 16-18 in Srinagar to boost the tourism sector.

The Chief Minister was, meanwhile, informed that post floods the Flood Control Department had temporarily restored 1,179 spots out of the 4,000 vulnerable spots along the Jhelum, its tributaries and major canals.

On the issue of scarcity of water supply in the city, the Chief Minister was informed that due to sliding away of 50 metres of the Sindh extension, the supply to the Rangil scheme was hampered which had now been restored.

Around 1,300 water supply schemes were affected in the Valley in floods last year.