Srinagar mini-secretariat project abandoned after dislocation of six-decade-old bus terminal

Srinagar mini-secretariat project abandoned after dislocation of six-decade-old bus terminal

Srinagar: The work on Srinagar mini-secretariat in Batamaloo area of Srinagar has remained abandoned for more than three years with the resumption of work nowhere in sight.
A six-decade-old bus terminal was shifted to Srinagar outskirts to make way for the proposed mini-secretariat, more than six years ago, much to the inconvenience and annoyance of the general public and the transporters as well.
In 2017 the mini-secretariat was sanctioned with the aim to bring all departments under one roof and cut down on time and resources spent in interdepartmental exchanges.
“Besides, all the offices on the district and provincial level of the administration were to be shifted to this new mini-secretariat in accordance with the 2035 Srinagar Master Plan,” a source in the district administration told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the project was to be completed with a total cost of Rs 100 crore. In the first phase, however, about half of the money was to be spent on the construction of more than 30 offices, more than 80 staff rooms, more than 30 staff halls, and two meeting halls.
“Moreover, the building was supposed to have a parking facility, elevators, and a common facility centre,” the source said, “However, only the foundation work was completed on the project, and has now remained abandoned for more than three years,”
The source said that the project has more or less been abandoned and will now need a re-assessment to use the land. “More than 2000 vehicles operated from the bus stand that was shifted from the space. They were for the time being rendered work-less and are now barely meeting ends by operating from the city outskirts. The whole idea has been a disaster,” the source said.
The local residents rue that they were anticipating a place where all their official work would be addressed and completed under one roof. “But guess they love to put the common people through the hassle. They dislocated the transporters to give the common man a glimmer of hope, but in the end, everyone stands robbed,” the local residents in Srinagar told Kashmir Reader.
Transporters are aghast on the other hand for their hasty dislocation and the inefficiency of the government thereafter. “We were dislocated without any regard to our livelihood and now we get to hear that the project has been abandoned. What mockery is this?” a bus driver told Kashmir Reader, requesting not to be named.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Aijaz Asad acknowledged that the work was not being executed on the project but said that it has not been abandoned.
“As of now we do not have an infrastructural deficiency, and the idea of a mini-secretariat does not look necessary,” he told Kashmir Reader adding that the government will take a decision at the appropriate time and make the best use of the land and the facility.

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