SRINAGAR, June 11 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) leader and former legislator Noor Mohammad Sheikh on Thursday expressed deep concern over incompletion of various developmental projects in Srinagar putting a question mark on its Smart City status.

In a statement issued to KNS, the JKAP leader observed that the inhabitants of Bemina, Tengpora, Shalteng, Mustafabad, Umarabad, Iqbal Abad upto Lawaypora are suffering immensely because of the incompletion of drainage projects that were started by the government two years ago.

“The construction work on the dewatering station at Shalteng has not been completed for the last over one year, not to talk of the construction work on the main drainage project that was started under AMRUT scheme. The work on this prestigious project has halted since the last two years,” the former legislator remarked.

Similarly, he said the Mominabad drainage project under Smart City connecting almost around 20 colonies of at new court road Momin Abad, Tengpora is approved but no work has been started on this project sofar.

The JKAP leader said that almost all roads connecting different areas in Srinagar particularly in Batmaloo constituency are in dilapidated condition and the commuters are immensely suffering on this account.

“Roads in Qamarwari, Mujgund, Lawaypora, Barthana, Parimpora, Boatman Colony, Takenwari and Bemina including Firdous Abad, NundReshi Colony, Toto Ground, Sir Sayed Abad, Bhakshi Abad, Iqbal Colony and Tengpora are fully damaged and potholes and ditches giving a tough time to the commuters,” Sheikh observed.

He said that Batmaloo constituency is hugely populated and the people of this area have been neglected by the government. “The inhabitants of this constituency are suffering for want of basic amenities and the government seems least bothered about their plight,” Sheikh said, appealing the Lieutenant Governor G.C Murmu to call a meeting reviewing the progress of Smart City projects on urgent basis.

The JKAP leader said that the divisional administration should not make COVID pandemic as an excuse for its deep slumber. “When there is no impact of COVID on developmental projects in Jammu, why is divisional administration in Kashmir concealing its inaction and incompetence under the garb of this pandemic,” he asked. (KNS)