Mayor Srinagar Junaid Azim Mattu today directed for a formulating a joint strategy between Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Roads and Buildings department and Traffic police to clear snow and reduce traffic congestion in the summer capital.
The Mayor chaired a meeting to review progress of snow clearance process at Traffic junctions and measures to ensure proper vehicular traffic movement.
Mattu stressed the need of establishing a joint team that will be looked after by DySP Traffic south and North ,Xen R&B city roads Division, Exen left river Works division , Chief Transport Officer and Enforcement Officer Central. The team will work strategies snow clearance work mechanism at vulnerable traffic junctions to reduce and ease out traffic related issues.
“Similarly focus was also laid on creating another Joint Control Room for swift removal of snow clearance in the city comprising representatives from MED division, R&B, SMC and Health department so that there would be timely and smooth snow clearance in wake of fresh snowfall forecast,” SMC said in a statement.
“It is significantly important that all concerned departments work in coordination and cordially to deliver the best and time bound services to the citizens of the Srinagar that will also help in timely snow clearance.”
On the occasion the Mayor directed that a Joint team of anti-encroachment and enforcement SMC will be also be created that will work in close coordination with Traffic department to outline policy and identify three red zones in the first instance in the city. The team will identify hawkers , street vendors who create traffic hurdles by occupying pedestrian space and become obstruction for smooth flow of vehicular movement .
“A joint strategy needs to be devised and implemented together to tackle the encroachment issues,” the Mayor said.
For Sunday markets, the Mayor directed Enforcement Officer central along with the concerned ward officer to work under the supervision of Joint Commissioner Works to inspect and allow vendors. This is to be done as per the demarcated vending zone space in order to avoid any untoward incident due to the overcrowding of the market.
It was also decided that Sunday market shall be barricaded and no vehicular movement should be allowed to ply on that stretch to avoid traffic related issues on Sundays.
Meanwhile, the Mayor while taking review of snow clearance and preparedness for fresh snow forecast appreciated the entire team of SMC officers along with all the employees particularly sanitation workers. ” Despite limited options, my entire team worked hard and remained alert on tenterhooks to meet any eventuality on ground,” he said.
Mattu while expressing his sincere gratitude to SMC employees requested officers to be more proactive and expedite the working mechanism in time bound manner whether the issues are pertaining to public concern or the internal policy matters.
The Mayor also said with a new strain of Covid 19, more precautionary measures have to be taken. “SMC apart from being prepared and geared up for snow clearance with a fleet of eighty machines will ensure simultaneously that the Masks Up Srinagar Campaign is to be taken to its logical end,” he said.
“We need to ensure that no person is allowed to be on roads or at public places , public transport Institutions , banks, government, private offices, malls without wearing masks,” he said.
Besides Commissioner SMC Gazanfar Ali, representative of SSP Traffic Srinagar, DySP Traffic South Adil , S. E Drainage , Joint Commissioner Works SMC, Executive Engineers (All) Civil, Mechanical Drainage, SMC Chief Sanitation Officer, SMC, Chief Transport Officer, SMC, Chief Enforcement Officer, SMC participated in the meeting.