Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan today said Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has a pivotal role to play in the augmentation of amenities and government is focused to increase its efficiency so that the living standards of people are increased.The Div Com made these remarks while chairing a meeting to review the functioning of SMC. The meeting was attended by SMC Commissioner, Joint Commissioner Planning, Joint Commissioner Administration, Joint Commissioner Works and other officials.The SMC commissioner gave a brief of the working of SMC through a detailed presentation. He informed the meeting that works worth Rs 234 crore are on different stages of implementation under AMRUT and SMC has completed 147 community works last year.The Div Com said that the SMC touches every individual life in Srinagar and the more efficient its work is the more easier the life of people becomes. He lauded various innovative works done by SMC. He said that the introduction of paid roadside parking has brought tangible change in traffic management.He said that currently six such parking spots have been marked and when all 47 parking spots are made functional it will provide space for accommodating 1700 vehicles.
He said that traffic management is one of the focus areas and necessary measures are being taken in this regard. He said that SMC has allocated Rs 5 crore for getting 20 new buses to augment public transport.The Div Com directed the officials to start a massive cleaning drive at various spots particularly at river banks of Doodhganga and Jhelum. He directed the officials to streamline the online services as it will bring transparency particularly in granting Building Permissions, whose number has been encouragingly increased to around 800 from 600 in the previous year.The meeting was further told that a modern abattoir is coming up at a cost of Rs 24.52 crore in Aloochibagh. With special intervention, it was revealed that the population of stray dogs has been reduced from 70000 to around 30000 and with the active working of sterilization programme the population will further come down.Further, around 10000 trees are being planted at Achan Dumping site and developing of green spaces is in full swing, the meeting was told.