Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary today undertook an extensive tour of several Shia-majority areas of Srinagar to review the arrangements being put in place for smooth and peaceful observance of the forthcoming holy month of Muharram-ul-Haram.
During the day-long visit, the Deputy Chief Minister inspected various Imam Baras and prominent religious sites, including the revered Shrine of Mir Shams-ud-Din Araki (RA) at Zadibal, the historic Imam Bara Zadibal and historic Imam Bara Hassanabad.
He assessed the facilities and services being arranged for the devotees and mourners during the holy month. The Deputy Chief Minister, accompanied by MLA Hazratbal, Salman Ali Sagar and MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, also visited Imam Bara Gulshan Bagh, Baghwanpora, Nawabagh in Lal Bazar and Bota Kadal, where he interacted with the local representatives and residents to gather first-hand feedback regarding the ongoing preparations.
During the inspection, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the concerned departments to ensure seamless inter-departmental coordination and make all necessary arrangements for uninterrupted healthcare services, drinking water supply, electricity, sanitation, road connectivity, street lighting and other essential civic amenities.
“Deploy water tanks in all the affected areas on regular basis so that the residents do not face any inconvenience during the Muharram observance,” he said. The Deputy Chief Minister instructed the officers to maintain round-the-clock readiness and establish effective grievance redressal mechanism for prompt resolution of the public concerns.
Senior officers from various departments accompanied the Deputy Chief Minister during the visit and briefed him on the arrangements and developmental works underway in their respective areas. The Deputy Chief Minister assured the public that the government remains fully committed to ensure adequate facilities and a conducive environment for observance of Muharram-ul-Haram across J&K.
Later, the Deputy Chief Minister visited the Soura area and reviewed progress on key infrastructure projects, including the Donibagh–Soura road widening project. He directed the concerned authorities to remove the existing bottlenecks and encroachments hampering the pace of work.
He stressed the need for ensuring smooth traffic movement and improved connectivity for the public. He also reviewed the status of ongoing City Gateway development works in the Hazratbal and Zadibal areas and called for their timely completion while maintaining the highest standards of quality.