The development in Jammu and Kashmir has been flipped up over the years and many significant and important infrastructural projects are being executed. Be it in Srinagar or elsewhere in valley like Srinagar -Baramulla highway, Srinagar ring road and number of flyovers at various crucial junctures, the infrastructural landscape of the Union Territory is changing once these projects are completed.
Most of these projects were taken up post Article 370 abrogation since political intervention and vested interests over the decades had made Srinagar city non livable with massive public interest projects sabotaged. The city was crumbling under its own weight due to growing urbanization with no horizontal or vertical expansion of it.
No successive regime has ever perceived its future vision. Massive funds guaranteed under centrally sponsored schemes would remain unutilized for years and would eventually lapse and political governments in place never fixed the responsibility.
The glaring example is of smart City project which has been kicked off after New Delhi took directly the control of Jammu and Kashmir following its downgrading to Union Territory on August 5, 2019. It has been rejuvenated, rebuilt and renovated and expanded therefore transforming it as modern city with a lot of fun and activities for its visitors.
It may not sound wired to call Srinagar as an international city following the footfall of people from all across the globe given the massive tourism potential of it. However, it never was developed in that capacity. As rightly said better late than never. The city is transforming now.
The work culture is gradually imbibing among the people especially among government servants and contractors no more express any excuse to halt the works that not only ensures the time bound completion of projects but also saves huge money of state exchequer due to annual inflation and overrunning costs in such massive projects.
While these projects were started with a remarkable pace on ground due to a summit of G20 held in Srinagar, however, the rhythm and energy seems gradually fading away in the state machinery. The projects have begun to miss deadlines, especially of flyovers which needs to be fixed immediately.
The problem needs to be fixed before it becomes cumbersome to resolve. Let officers learn to meet deadlines, the development will happen on its own.
