Srinagar: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Thursday said it rushed its men and machinery to clear key roads in the city in the wake of heavy snowfall and has cleared snow from important destinations and installations like hospitals, ration depots, banks, offices religious places and other important institutions.
“The snow clearance, which was started on a war footing, was supervised by SMC commissioner Dr GN Qasba, who conducted personal tours of various areas to instruct the ground staff and pass orders with regard to snow clearance dewatering. More than 2700 sanitary workers, 75 dewatering pumps, 20 loaders, four JCBs, two robots and several hoppers were into service  to ensure public faces no inconvenience. Sixty four caterpillar machines was also forced into action. At least seventy percent lanes and by lanes have been cleared off snow,” it said in  a statement.
Thirty eight mobile dewatering pumps have been put in place  by  drainage division of SMC in the areas which have been inundated under water and since yesterday evening the water level in submerged areas has gone down appreciably,   said Commissioner SMC. With the restoration of power supply to the Daresh Kadal dewatering station it is expected that water level in and around Magarmal Bagh and similarly in other areas would rise down considerably further said Dr Qasba. Adequate quantity of diesel has been placed to drainage division for working smoothly in case of power failure he further added
The SMC has set up a control room. People can call on these two numbers 0194-2474499, 2450620 to register their complaints. At least over hundred complaints were responded for snow clearance, water logging and removal of building material and trees from general public which were addressed swiftly.
Meanwhile, to ensure dewatering from various low lying areas of Srinagar city Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar today directed the concerned officers to put in all available resources to clear the affected areas and make living healthy for various habitations.
The Deputy Commissioner was addressing an officers meeting here.

KR Desk