Says work on all major, minor infra, heritage, health, sanitation projects running to standstill

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Monday stated that the work on all major and minor projects in Shahar-e-Khas is not picking up and the crumbling infrastructure, back-sliding of local businesses, scathing unemployment and development deficit in Shahar-e-Khas areas deflate the claim of incumbent administration on balanced development of J&K.

This was said by Party General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, while addressing scores of delegations who had called on him at party head quarters Nawa-e-Subha, Srinagar. The visiting delegations that had come from various localities of Shahar-e-Khas apprised the party general secretary about the monumental failure and neglect of the incumbent administration in mitigating the issues faced by them. The visiting delegation that consisted of young and old apprised the general secretary about the crumbling road infrastructure, inordinate delay in the completion of various infra- development and heritage conservation projects in the old city areas. The delegation members also highlighted the failure of the administration in ensuring basic public services and civic amenities to the people in the old city areas.

Addressing the visiting delegation and numerous other district functionaries, Sagar said “The lack of facilities at Maharaj Gunj health facility and heritage market is a case in point which narrates how negligent the incumbent administration is to the development needs of people,’ he said.

He said despite crores being sanctioned to upgrade the Mahraj Gunj health facility to scale up the facilities being provided to the people at the facility, there has been no headway on any front. “The bed facilities haven’t been added up. No new equipment has been purchased. Ambulance facilities haven’t been augmented. It is not just the health facility alone that has been the victim of government’s neglect; the situation with other important health, education, sanitation, and electricity and connectivity projects is no different. A thorough fact check will reveal how badly the successive regimes have failed in completing uncompleted work on various lane, road, and drain and heritage preservation projects for all these years,” he said.

Sagar said that years after being allocated required funds the status of the work still remains ‘in progress’. There has been no review of the physical status of the ongoing development works, if any at all, in Shahar-e-Khas; the development story in Srinagar is all about inordinate delays.

Expressing concern over the awful condition of the Mahraj Gunj heritage market, Sagar said the market has been left in ruins. He said the heritage market has seen no face lift since 2014, let alone helping the local Bewpar Mandal to cope up with the Covid induced economic slump; the incumbent administration , he said, has failed to preserve the heritage buildings on the spot. “The Mahraj Gunj revival plan 2014, brain child of the NC led government was unfortunately dropped by successive regimes from their development radar on petty political considerations. The then NC led government has thought to reestablish the road and river connectivity to the heritage market, clear spaces encroached upon, care for the heritage buildings, and improve the sanitation on the spot. But the successive government didn’t work in that direction,” he said.

The ASI assigned with the protection and preservation of local heritage edifices like Bud Shah’s tombs, he said has failed to act as the guardian of the local heritage, which he said is crumbling for the want of necessary maintenance.

KR Desk