Srinagar, Dec 14: The Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu revealed in Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir has made remarkable progress under the Smart Cities Mission (SCM).
According to the minister’s statement in response to a query, out of the 291 projects sanctioned for J&K, 261 projects have been successfully completed, marking an impressive 90% completion rate. The total expenditure on completed projects has amounted to ₹6,085 crore.
The minister detailed the progress in Jammu under the Smart Cities Mission, where 127 projects were sanctioned. As of now, 117 of these projects have been successfully completed, with an expenditure of ₹2,773 crore which include the development of smart roads, improved water supply systems, advanced waste management technologies, and the installation of smart street lighting systems, he said.
Significant funds have been allocated to the installation of integrated traffic management systems, which are expected to reduce congestion and improve urban mobility, he added.
He said that in Srinagar, a total of 164 projects were approved under the Smart Cities Mission. 144 of these projects have been completed, with an expenditure of ₹3,312 crore. Major developments in Srinagar include smart roads, integrated command and control centers (ICCCs), and an extensive network of CCTV cameras to enhance public safety.
The government has also implemented several initiatives to improve waste management and water supply systems. As of now, ₹600 crore remains allocated to complete the remaining 20 projects in Srinagar, the Minister said.
Apart from the projects being executed individually in Jammu and Srinagar, there are also joint projects for the overall development of both cities which include the construction of public transportation infrastructure and the development of urban parks, he said.
The Minister said that out of the total sanctioned projects, 20 have been collaborative initiatives to improve inter-city connectivity and shared resources. A combined ₹100 crore has been allocated for these joint ventures, with approximately ₹50 crore already spent on the development of essential infrastructure, he added.
He said that as of now, J&K has a total of 30 ongoing projects which are at various stages of completion, with ₹410 crore still required for their completion.
Out of the ongoing projects, 10 are in Jammu, 12 are in Srinagar, and 8 are joint projects, he said adding that despite the challenges posed by land acquisition and clearance issues, authorities are confident that these projects will be completed on schedule.
