SAC meeting: Srinagar City to get mass rapid transit system
Approves utilization of forest land for undertaking developmental projects
SRINAGAR: The State Administrative Council (SAC) which met here under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik viewed a detailed presentation on the Srinagar Mass Rapid Transit Corridor proposals presented before it by the Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD).
Various elevated, underground and integrated corridor proposals were critically analyzed during the presentation in terms of feasibility, suitability and other merits/de-merits besides the finances involved.
Broadly, the Srinagar Mass Rapid Transit Corridor proposals envisage phase wise development of various corridors connecting the city extremities with each other with many in between boarding and de-boarding stations.
The need for developing Mass Transit Corridor in Srinagar City is being increasingly felt, owing to inadequate capacity of the existing roads within the city to cater to the ever increasing volume of traffic moving in and out of the city, not up to the mark bus services, traffic congestion and the shrinking walking strips to name a few. The ambitious Mass Rapid Transit Corridor Project is a major initiative of the Government to address this inadequacy and keeping in view the future requirements of transportation & mobility in the city.
After considering various options, the SAC approved the ‘Elevated Corridor Option’ for Srinagar Mass Rapid Transit Corridor, deemed to be the best option. SAC further advised the Housing and Urban Development Department that wherever feasible, the Elevated Corridor shall be at ground level and designed in a manner as would add to the aesthetic value of the surrounding landscape.
The DPRs for both Srinagar and Jammu Mass Rapid Transit Systems will be ready by June, 30, 2019.
In another major decision the SAC also approved the utilization of 28 hectares of Forest land in various parts of the state for undertaking developmental projects of public importance in the Railways, PMGSY, and Energy sectors.
The utilization of Forest land was approved in pursuance to the recommendations of the 113th Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) meeting held on 11.03.2019.
The proposals approved included use of forest land for up-gradation of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project, development of infrastructure by JAKEDA and construction of PMGSY roads viz Bandhole to Upper Pattangarh in Udhampur Forest Division, Bhugtrain to Lower Panjgrain in Ramnagar Forest Division Ghan to Chandali in Kishtwar Forest Division, Dubigali to Nalinikka in Udhampur Forest Division, Bugrana to Kalchanda in Kishtwar Forest Division and TOI Dawar Tulail Kashpat to Refugee 02 in Bandipora Forest Division etc.
Work on these projects could not be started till date due to pending forest clearance. By virtue of the SAC decision today, work on all these projects will be started leading to developmental impetus in the rail, road and energy sectors in the state.
KV Correspondent
