Shopian: A recently constructed clock tower in south Kashmir’s Shopian town has become functional.
The 52 feet tall clock tower has been constructed in historic Gole Chowk, a business nerve centre of the district by Municipal Council Shopian ( MCS) at a cost of Rs 43 lakh.
The construction work was taken up in early 2021 and was completed little over a year. “We could have completed it earlier , but the COVID-19 lockdown and heavy snowfall briefly stymied the construction work”, said an official.
The outer walls of the triangular clock tower were made of special Maharaja bricks. Three gigantic chiming clocks have been installed on the tower. “These clocks have been purchased at a cost of over Rs four lakh,” said the official.
The clocks chime for few seconds every hour, which could be heard within a radius of several hundred metres around the clock tower. “The tower was constructed as part of the beautification drive taken up by the MCS. Last year, the MCS embarked on beautification drive and embellished various bare walls of the town with murals and graffiti at multiple locations.
The MCS also installed several LCDs, antique
lights and retro reflective studs along the thoroughfares of the town.”We are making every possible effort to make the town beautiful”, said the official.