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Mufti unveils vision for Anantnag

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 6/5/2013 11:40:36 PM

SRINAGAR, June 5: PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said Anantnag town suffered from huge infrastructure deficit and the discontinuation of projects initiated by the previous government has resulted in increasing difficulties for its residents.
Visiting the urban areas of his constituency today Mufti said Anantnag is not a mere district head quarter but has to cater also to a large floating population of tourists and the normal passenger traffic on the national highway. Mufti was given warm welcome by the people there.
Mufti said the projects launched by the previous government need to be carried forward to improve the level of amenities to the people of Anantnag town and rest of the south Kashmir of which it is the main commercial and administrative centre. He said the town needs to be decongested to ensure free flow of traffic and cater to increased rush of general public and tourists.
He said the road passing through the town from Khanabal to Janglath Mandi and onwards will be widened on the pattern of Khanabal Pahalgam road and the areas around it beautified.
Similarly, he said the bazaar leading up to Ziyarat Reshmoul Saheb, Sherbagh, Cheeni Chowk and onwards would also need expansion and beautification. This he said will open up the town to tourist traffic resulting in increased economic activity besides providing relief to the residents.
PDP patron stated that the scenic spots of the town should be developed for providing recreational facilities to locals and make the town tourist friendly. He said the Sherbagh and its surroundings including the spring and other springs like Malakhnag should be developed in accordance with a proper plan and their preservation ensured. He said there was a tremendous scope for development of Fatehgarh heights into appropriate tourist facility. The area could be connected through a rope way between Fatehgarh and Ranibagh park.
Former chief minister said to cater to the specialized medical needs the previous government had started construction of 300 bedded hospital with a view to adding a medical college to it. It was unfortunate that the present government had failed to provide adequate funding for it which has resulted in the delay of its execution. He said the project of having a medical college with a fully equipped hospital would be implemented at the first opportunity.
Referring to the need for upgrading educational facilities in the area, Mufti during his visit to the south campus and degree colleges said his government had opened the south campus of Kashmir University to provide higher education facilities to the students locally. He said the idea was to basically introduce subjects that would increase the employability of students, but that has not been achieved.
He said the south campus would be expanded and converted into a hub of advanced learning and skill development. The other educational institutions like government degree college for boys and girls would also be upgraded in accordance with the requirements of the job market and immense potential of the area. He also held meeting with the faculty members of these institutions and also flagged off the run by girls for environment at degree college for women.
Expressing hope that the completion of the national highway upgradation which was initiated in 2003 by then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would reduce the congestion around Khanabal and rest of the area, Mufti said there was a need to accelerate its execution. He said after the completion of the highway project if there was need for further decongestion in Khanabal area through construction of flyovers that also needs to be incorporated in the development vision for the town.
While talking to workers and people who met him in large numbers Mufti said it was not Anantnag alone that suffered from administrative paralysis that struck the state in 2009. He said all the areas including those represented by the ruling party leaders too had stopped growing and those represented by the opposition were specifically victimized. He said his government had set new standards of equitable development treating all areas and regions even handedly but the present government has reversed that process.
“It has infact stalled the development of the state as a result of its inability to keep pace with the capacity building of the previous government. He said this was the first government in the history of the state that was penalized for its inability to spend plan funds in time and as a result of that a whopping Rs 2100 crores was forfeited last year by the central government,” Mufti said. He also announced grant for various development works including a laptop for Higher Secondary School Brakpora from his CDF.