The Srinagar administration has released seven crore rupees to concerned collectors for acquiring eight rented buildings in which public schools have been functioning in different areas of the district.Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary who was reviewing the status of cases of land acquisition for approved developmental projects directed for immediate completion of relevant proceedings and acquisition of these buildings.The step is a part of efforts of the district administration to strengthen the public school educational apparatus in the district. It should be noted that as part of these efforts public schools are being upgraded both in terms of infrastructure and learning with 25 selected schools being modernised in an ongoing pilot project.The acquisition of these eight buildings has been a longstanding demand of concerned students and parents and a long-pending case stuck for one reason or another and will benefit hundreds of students enrolled therein.These schools include those located in different areas including Nowhata, Bagh-i-Dedmari, Eidgah, Hawal, Batamaloo, Bemina, Zainakote and Malroo.The district administration has also released an amount of around 5 crore rupees for upgradation of infrastructure of 15 other public schools with an enrolment of around two thousand students.It should be noted that in the absence of suitable land in the district the existing rented buildings in which public schools are functioning are being acquired and then reconstructed or upgraded to fill gaps in infrastructure and accommodation.Meanwhile the district administration has begun to deal with cases of land acquisition for identified developmental projects in earnest.The DC is intervening himself to resolve long-pending issues and ensure that those cases requiring urgent attention for executing important developmental projects are processed and completed at the earliest.
The meeting was informed that there are a total of 99 land acquisition cases in the district which are at different stages of processing adding the total acquisition cost involved is around 800 crore rupees. It was informed that seven collectorates are involved in their acquisition.It was informed that acquisition proceedings of various important cases has been completed or will be completed before the end of this month after fast-tracking their processing.Some of these cases are those involving critical developmental projects including conservation of Dal and Nigeen lakes at an acquisition cost of 63 crore rupees, four-laning of National Highway at Lasjan (Phase-I) at 38 crore, construction of slip roads and loops at Lasjan (Phase-II) at 101 crore, widening of Pantha Chowk to Zewan road at 20 crore, four-laning of national highway from Athwajan to Parimpora road at 50 crore, development of Narkara Spill Channel at 4 crore, installation of Zainakote Alasteng Mir Bazaar power transmission line at 1.5 crore rupees.These also include those cases where major bottlenecks prevented completion of vital developmental projects like widening of Parimpora-Narbal road for expansion of Srinagar-Baramulla national highway involving an acquisition cost of 212 crore rupees and building of Qamarwari-Noorbagh bridge at an acquisition cost of 50 lac rupees. The resolution of issues involving shifting of a gurdwara and a mosque in these cases was achieved after around two decades following personal intervention Dr Shahid made making an outreach to the concerned parties.Other notable projects for which acquisition has been completed include among others expansion of facilities of Peer Dastageer Sahib and Khwaja Naqshband Sahib shrines at an aggregate acquisition cost around 73.5 crore rupees.The concerned indenting departments have been asked to immediately submit indents for around 20 projects so that their acquisition proceedings can be completed at the earliest.Speaking on the occasion the DC said that land acquisition cases identified for important developmental projects as approved in the district are being reviewed each month with an aim to resolve relevant issues and complete acquisition proceedings at the earliest possible.