Polo View in the heart of Srinagar has been transformed into pedestrian-oriented high street that will attract more footfall, increase in retail sale, improve experience of visitors and it will make the area more liveable: LG

Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha inaugurated three Srinagar Smart City Projects and 25 Urban Local bodies (ULB) projects, today. Of the three Smart City Projects, Polo View has been transformed into Pedestrian-Oriented Shopping Street, Abi Guzar Shiv temple has been renovated and dedicated to the people and Smart Advanced Traffic Management vehicles have been included in the fleet for Srinagar Smart City.

Of the Urban Local bodies (ULB) projects dedicated to the public today, 16 are development projects in 11 ULBs and 9 Solid Waste Management facilities in 10 ULBs. On the occasion, the Lt Governor said, these projects will significantly boost urban infrastructure and give an impetus to ease of living.

“Polo View in the heart of Srinagar has been transformed into pedestrian-oriented high street that will attract more footfall, increase in retail sale, improve experience of visitors and it will make the area more liveable,” said the Lt Governor. Sharing the efforts to create facilities at par with other big cities of the country, the Lt Governor said, the Polo View market is just the beginning. In coming days, Srinagar Smart City is developing similar markets in areas like Residency road, Lal Chowk, and the old city, he added. “The holistic approach in developing urban infrastructure is focused on Individual’s well-being, new avenues and opportunities for the people for more diversified incomes, improved service delivery, mobility, cleanliness and to achieve the objectives of sustainable urban development,” the Lt Governor said.

The Lt Governor also highlighted the steps taken to fulfill the aspirations of all 40 ULBs of Kashmir Division. “We have put people at the centre of cities and the projects both development and solid waste management, are offering unprecedented opportunity to improve the lives of millions of urban residents,” he said. The newly inaugurated projects are the testimony to our commitment to improve urban environment, he further added.

Speaking on the development journey of J&K over the past few years, the Lt Governor expressed gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for the unparalleled growth of the UT. Today, economic development is gaining new momentum, pace of completion of projects has increased 9 times and every section of the society is feeling empowered, said the Lt Governor. Citizens are now co-constructing policies so that infrastructure projects are developed as per needs of the people, he added. The Lt Governor called upon the elected representatives of the ULBs and the common people to work shoulder to shoulder with the administration in the mission to rejuvenate the cities and make them more vibrant, efficient, clean and sustainable. Infrastructure should become a strong base to improve the quality of life of every citizen. We must ensure that infrastructure development meet the needs of the 21st century and reflect the priceless heritage & traditions of our cities, the Lt Governor said. He further emphasized on encouraging maximum public participation in beautification of cities and swachhata campaigns. At the Polo View, the Lt Governor interacted with the shop-keepers and presented a token of appreciation to the Traders association for their cooperation. Bicycle sharing facilities for different locations in the city was also inaugurated on the occasion by the Lt Governor. H Rajesh Prasad, Principal Secretary Housing & Urban Development Department gave a detailed overview of the projects inaugurated today. Mathora Masoom, Director Urban Local Bodies Kashmir informed about the ongoing projects for the development of urban areas of the region.  Junaid Azim Mattu, Mayor SMC; Vijay Kumar, ADGP Kashmir; Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Athar Amir Khan, Commissioner SMC and CEO Srinagar Smart City; ULB members, senior officials and prominent citizens were present