Various projects under execution to make Srinagar a smart city: SMC Commissioner

Srinagar March 19 : From establishing street vending zones, to constructing toilets, procuring new machines, and bringing accountability into the functioning of Srinagar Municipal Corporation will help to make Srinagar a smart city.
This was stated by Commissioner SMC Athar Amir Khan in an interview with news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
“We are receiving funding from the Centre, J&K government and PP mode for execution of smart city programme. We are upgrading basic facilities through e-governance. There are various works being executed under smart city programme which are on top priority,” Khan said.
One of the initiatives, he said has been taken hundred-per cent door to door waste collection and source segregation in four wards of the district.
“We want to get rid of dumpsters on our roads and streets. Main focus is to collect waste from households by door to door and then make scientific disposal of the waste,” he said.
The initiative was recently taken up in four wards of the city including Shalimar, Soura, Karan Nagar and Humhama.
Under this project, every household and waste generator segregate their waste into two bins –green and blue (green for organic waste and blue for inorganic waste).
Similarly, he said they are procuring new machines including snow clearance machines.
“We want to make use of machinery and manpower in an efficient manner. We want IT based system so there is proper accountability and efficiency in the Corporation,” the SMC Commissioner said.
Khan said they were going to construct new toilets at various places. “We are conducting functional audit of existing ones to check if they have water facilities available and are in good condition so they could be made for public use,” he said.
Asked about a picture which has gone viral where tourists are seen lined one after the other who chooses to use the banks of Dal Lake as an open toilet, he admitted there were lack of toilets along the banks of the famed lake.
“There are restrictions on constructions. After seeing this picture, we deployed two mobile toilets on banks of Dal Lake. Similarly, another existing toilet at Shalimar has been made functional,” he said.
Similarly, the SMC Commissioner said they were creating more vending zones to make streets decongested in Srinagar.
Recently, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha laid foundation of one Smart Vending Zones near Jahangir Chowk and is expected to be made operation in April 2021.
This will accommodate more than 250 vendors who who will be shifted from central business areas like Harisingh Highstreet , Resiency Road, Lal Chowk etc which will be declared no vending zones for strict implementation.
Similarly, authorities have also finalised the sites for more Smart Vending Zones including one at Batamaloo. (KINS)