BK News

Srinagar, Feb 24: Implementation of Smart City projects or levying of property tax is for creating better facilities and infrastructure for the people, Srinagar Municipal Commissioner, Athar Aamir Khan said on Thursday in a function held by PHD Chamber of Commerce Kashmir Chapter here.

Khan, according to a statement issued by the PHD Chamber, said that the property tax is progressive and has been devised keeping in view the social and economic aspects. The rates imposed are very nominal compared to other municipal corporations of country and with special exemptions for poor and marginalised, he added.

Khan was speaking as a special invitee to the core group meeting of the PHD Chamber, according the statement.

An engaged civil society is a vehicle for people participating in the development and implementation of government policies and programs, he said, while throwing light on various verticals and aspects of Srinagar Smart City.

Earlier Vicky Shaw Chair PHD Chamber Kashmir  fully supported the CEO Srinagar Smart City for the mammoth task of reshaping the whole city under Srinagar smart City Project and assured the Commissioner  that the PHD Chamber will outreach  in coordination with government to make people aware about the reforms and developments that are being implemented by the government at various levels. In his speech he welcomed the Chief Guest and core group members  and apprised everyone about PHDCCI, the 117 years old National Chamber’s  activities and latest developments since he took over as chair of Kashmir Chapter. He further commented about extending full support to the government  based on integrity and faithfulness. Shaw  also sought everybody’s view as to how best to further strengthen the PHDCCI Kashmir   which has already caught the imagination of the masses and the youth of J&K. He said, the team   is spearheading it but at the same time we have to devise a strategy to work in conjunction to cooperate with the central and UT government and other government agencies to remove some of the barriers to trade and business and we have to assist in the policy-making to ensure that all interests are looked after.

The meeting was attended by immediate former Chair Kashmir- Baldev Singh Raina and core members Himayu wani, Nasir Shah, Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Pervaiz Qalander, Haleem Bhat,  Owais Raja, Ubair Shah, Adnan Shah, Sajid Nazir Shah and Iqbal Fayaz Jan  Deputy Director PHDCCI J&K. The members  discussed various economic and social issues in threadbare. The members decided to devise a strategy and will help the youth and existing industry to diversify in new business with latest technology and avenues which remains unexplored in this part of the world.

BK News

Srinagar: Deputy Commissioner Shopian Sachin Kumar Vaishya Tuesday held a meeting to review the land acquisition process for NH-444 within the stipulated time frame in the district. 

The National Highway-444 is an alternate highway to NH-44. It starts at Qazigund in Jammu and Kashmir and ends in Srinagar, passing via district Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama. 

The meeting held a detailed review of the present status of the land acquisition process and discussed the steps required for removing the bottlenecks for the timely completion of the process. 

He advised all the concerned officers to complete the land acquisition process for NH-444 in Shopian within a few days. 

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mushtaq Ahmad Simnani; Assistant commissioner Revenue, Shahbaz Ahmad Bodha; Tehsildar Shopian, LDM, Executive Engineer R&B 1st Division Srinagar, Naib Tehsildars and other concerned officers attended the meeting.

The general public in the twin districts of Shopian and Kulgam have requested the administration for completing the demarcation of the land for the national highway at the earliest, as the ambiguity of road tracts at certain places is creating confusion among them.  

Lack of footpaths, walkways makes it dangerous for people to move around in the city.

As the vehicular traffic in the Srinagar roads has witnessed an unprecedented rise in the last few years, it is becoming extremely dangerous for pedestrians to move around in the city. On the one side, fast-moving traffic is making it life-threatening to cross the roads and streets, while on the other side, illegal encroachment of footpaths, walkways is pushing back foot-travellers to walk alongside the cars and motorcycles on transport tracks at great risk to their lives.

When there are no legal provisions for protecting pedestrians and their movement, our government and policymakers do not plan safe passages, neither there are proper crossing points in their road designs. Existing footpaths and crossing points are ill-planned and without any zebra crossing signs. As on-street parking takes precedence over pedestrian infrastructure like paved sidewalks in our city planning, space for pedestrian movement is shrinking fast on the city roads. It is a dangerous trend for a city that homes more than two million people, is touted as a metropolis, and projected as a key tourist destination.

Modern cities are not only pedestrian-friendly, but they take special care of the needs of children and old age people. People with disabilities, especially those with mobility issues, face a hard time moving around in Srinagar city. There is no way that one can push around a wheelchair or a pram.

Pedestrian right of way needs to be the priority of any road planning in the city, but it is otherwise here.

Most of the existing footpaths – as the pavements or sidewalks are named here – are narrow or full of obstacles making them unfit for public use. There is no uniformity. At some places, these footpaths are so high that they look like a supporting bund or retention wall. At many junctions, they lack connectivity with each other. Electricity poles, TV and telecommunication cable poles, billboards, even city beautification lights and trees are installed, in such a way, that these footpaths automatically become unusable.   

While traffic lights have been installed at many major traffic junctions in the city from time to time, but most of them are not made functional due to unknown reasons. There are no pedestrian crossing arrangements at these traffic crossing points. Even vehicular blockades are laid without keeping into consideration foot travellers. Take the example of Jehangir Chowk – Exhibition Ground junction, which witnesses heavy traffic throughout the day. As there is no system to stop the traffic, to let the pedestrians cross, it is extremely difficult for the people on foot to cross the congested junction. (These issues cannot be overcome by painting the pillars of the overhead bridge.)

The same is the case ahead of Badshah Bridge near the Maisuma-Koker Bazaar crossing. People keep crossing in moving traffic, mostly at great risk to their life and safety. In fact, there are no designated pedestrian crossing points in the entire Srinagar city.  

While the administration keeps saying that Srinagar will be developed into a world-class ‘smart city’, they should note that it is not possible by allowing haphazard and unplanned constructions by both the private sector and the government agencies. 

Modern cities are not only pedestrian-friendly, but they take special care of the needs of children and old age people. People with disabilities, especially those with mobility issues, face a hard time moving around in Srinagar city. There is no way that one can push around a wheelchair or a pram.

To make Srinagar a modern city, its roads not only need redesign but more focus must be given to footpaths, sidewalks, bicycle tracks and sophisticated public transport. That is doable within the available resources.