Srinagar, May 27 (KNS): Minister for Finance, Labour & Employment Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday took an on spot review of the progress on widening of Zero Bridge-IG Road via Kursoo Rajbagh Bund taken up by Public Works department under Central Road Fund (CRF) scheme.
The overall project cost for widening of this road is Rs 28.79 Crores and is scheduled to be completed by or before 2019. The visit started from Shiekh Mohalla Kursoo Rajbagh and culminated at Abdullah Bridge.
The Minister was accompanied by Chief Engineer PWD, Commissioner SMC, Director CAPD Kashmir, VC Srinagar Development Authority, Director Floriculture Kashmir, Chief Engineer PHE, Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control, ADC Srinagar, ACR Srinagar, senior officers of PDD, PHE, I&FC, school education, health, and police departments.
While complimenting the PWD, I&FC departments for the work done so far, the Minister for Finance highlighted the importance of this prestigious project that will connect important areas of the city with the IG Road. Besides facilitating a hassle free movement for the traffic and commuters in the area, this project, Bukhari said, will help in traffic decongestion of the city.
He said that this project was conceived after taking into consideration the long pending demands of the inhabitants of Kursoo Rajbagh and its adjoining areas. Bukhari asked the revenue officers to come up with a comprehensive report within 10-days highlighting the status of the structures including houses and shops that came in way of the alignment of the road and were later demolished besides those structures that are yet to be removed for completion of the project.
The Minister paid a visit to all the families individually that are affected by the road widening and gave a patient hearing to families involved therein. He also listened to the pleas made by the affected shopkeepers who appealed the government to take their livelihood into consideration and compensate them accordingly.
On this occasion, Bukhari asked the Vice Chairman SDA to convene a meeting with PWD Chief Engineer and concerned revenue officers in order to chalk out necessity for preparing rehabilitation plan for the dislocated household owners and shopkeepers that were affected by this road project.
“I will take up and discuss this rehabilitation plan with the Honb’le Chief Minister for necessary approval,” Bukhari observed.
The Minister said: “I whole heartedly thank people especially those whose houses and shops were affected by the widening of this road. Since the affected people have supported this project and cooperated with the executing agency, it is incumbent upon the government to show reciprocity and formulate a rehabilitation package so that justice is done.”
Bukhari also asked the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to place barriers wherever required alongside of the river Jhelum embankment in the area. Necessary instructions were passed on to PWD officers for construction of ramps/staircases wherever required for providing access to the inhabitants on either side of the road.
Later Bukhari visited the public park being developed by the Floriculture department adjacent to Old Zero Bridge and asked the Director Floriculture to complete the earth filling of the park and include the left-out area by removing the existing workshop ramp at an earliest.
He also asked the PWD officers to start work on the roadside multi facility center adjacent to the park for which the land has already been identified by the revenue department.
During his visit a number of public delegations met the Minister and appraised him about the issues of basic amenities. Bukhari issued necessary instructions to the sectoral officers to ensure redressal of public grievances in a time bound manner. (KNS)