Srinagar e-buses to have metro type cards: CEO

Srinagar, Aug 23: As the city of Srinagar prepares to welcome e-buses by the end of this month, Ather Amir Khan, the CEO of the Smart City project, has announced that all the necessary arrangements for these buses have been completed.
Revealing further details, the CEO mentioned that they have devised an Integrated Public Transport Plan (IPTP) in which all aspects related to the operation of these buses have been finalized. According to this plan, they have determined the routes for each bus.
He elaborated that all the plans have been successfully executed, including the allocation of specific routes to each bus. He added that after the deployment of these initial 100 e-buses, there will be a requirement for additional e-buses.
He also specified that these buses come in two sizes, 9 meters and 12 meters in length. Among them, the 9-meter buses will operate within the old city and other congested areas, while the 12-meter buses will cover the main roads, including routes to Baramulla and Anantnag towns.
He mentioned that after these buses are GPS-enabled, with CCTV cameras also installed, there will be no manual fare collection in these buses as passengers will have a card to travel like metro. He believed that the operations of these buses will lead to a major improvement in the city’s traffic system.
Responding to a query, he said that these buses are absolutely safe for women passengers as there will be no overloading, and fares will be deducted via cards. Every passenger has to tap their card when starting the travel and tap out their cards when exiting from the bus.
It is noteworthy that the first batch of 20 e-buses will start plying on various routes in Srinagar by the end of this year, as stated by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, V K Bidhuri, recently.
DC Srinagar holds Public Grievance Redressal Camp at Khonmoh
Inspects progress of ongoing construction works for Migrant Transit Camp at Zewan
Srinagar, Aug 23: The Deputy Commissioner(DC) Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad Wednesday undertook an extensive tour of Khonmoh Block of the District and held a Public Grievance Redressal Camp under Weekly Block Diwas programme to reach out to the door steps of people for on spot resolution of their issues and demands.
The Grievance Redressal Camp was attended by large gathering of locals, besides representatives of Panchayat Raj Institutions including DDC member, Manzoor Ahmad who projected their grievances and issues before the Deputy Commissioner including augmentation of Water supply, upgradation & widening of Khonmoh Check Sangri Road infrastructure upgradation of High School, transport facility from Khonmoh to Lal Chowk, upgradation of Health centre, curbing stray dogs menace and other issues.
After giving patient hearing to the grievances and demands of the PRI members and other individuals, the DC sought on the spot response from the concerned District Officers present during the Grievance Redressal Camp. He assured the people of Khonmoh Block that all genuine demands and issues projected by them will be looked into on priority.
The DC also gave on the spot directions to the concerned Officers for time bound redressal of the public issues.
Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Commissioner said that the District Administration Srinagar is holding such grievance redressal Camps to take appraisal of local issues from the general public for precise and on-ground assessment to ensure their time bound redressal. He said such programmes also provide feedback to the Administration to developmental plans as per proposals of the local populations for the public good and reach to the doorstep of the people instead of them visiting the DC office or other Government Offices.
The DC said the Khonmoh area has a huge potential for Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Husbandry activities and stressed the local people to take maximum benefit from government sponsored schemes to boost the local economy and generate employment avenues. The DC also asked the Officers of Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Husbandry Departments to organise a joint awareness camp at Khonmoh so that local people are sensitized about different flagship schemes. He further asked them to make farmers aware about hydroponic vegetable cultivation.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar undertook a visit to Zewan area in Pantha Chowk Tehsil of District to take onsite inspection of the ongoing works being executed on construction of Migrant Transit Accommodations Zewan.
While inspecting the pace of construction works, the Deputy Commissioner took a detailed round of the various under construction blocks and was informed that with over 40 percent target achievement, civil works on as many as 24 blocks comprising 634 flats is almost completed.
On the occasion, the DC stressed the concerned executing agency to further accelerate the pace of ongoing construction works to ensure timely completion of the project.
Pertinent to mention that under the Rs 124 crore project for construction of Migrant Transit Accommodations at Zewan, as many as 936 flats comprising 39 Blocks are being constructed to accommodate the Migrant employees.