Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today visited Beerwah in Budgam district to take stock of the damage caused by incessant rainfall and the overflowing of Nallah Sukhnag. During the visit, the Chief Minister inspected the site at Beerwah Bus Stand where a shopping complex was washed away after the flood protection wall collapsed due to the flash floods.
He interacted with the affected shopkeepers and expressed solidarity with them, assuring that the Government would extend all possible assistance to those whose shops had been constructed with valid government permission. He directed the Deputy Commissioner Budgam to receive and scrutinise all relevant documents submitted by the affected shopkeepers so that genuine cases could be processed for compensation and rehabilitation in accordance with the rules.
Addressing the affected traders, the Chief Minister said the Government would examine all eligible cases sympathetically and provide every possible support. He also took note of the demand raised by the shopkeepers for temporary rehabilitation and said that, subject to safety clearance, the newly constructed Municipal Committee shopping complex could be considered for their temporary relocation.
The Chief Minister directed the Roads & Buildings (R&B) Department to conduct a comprehensive structural safety audit of the Municipal Committee shopping complex and other government infrastructure located along Nallah Sukhnag. He said no commercial activity should be allowed in any structure unless it is declared safe by the concerned authorities.
Later, the Chief Minister inspected the ongoing restoration work on the damaged diversion bridge over Nallah Sukhnag, which was washed away by floodwaters. He instructed the concerned departments to expedite the restoration work to ensure early resumption of vehicular connectivity between Beerwah and Budgam.
He also reviewed the progress on the construction of the main motorable bridge over Nallah Sukhnag and stressed the need for maintaining quality standards while ensuring timely completion of the project. The Chief Minister further directed the district administration and line departments to ensure prompt restoration of damaged roads, bridges, power supply, drinking water facilities and other essential public services affected by the recent floods. He emphasized that all departments must remain on high alert and respond swiftly to any emergency arising due to the prevailing weather conditions.
MLA Beerwah, Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani, Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Athar Aamir Khan, and senior officers of the district administration and various line departments accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.