BuzzBytes News Network
SRINAGAR, July 21 (BuzzBytes): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday declared that the National Conference’s campaign for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood would continue until the Centre fulfilled its commitment, while simultaneously announcing a comprehensive inquiry into the Srinagar Smart City Project after widespread waterlogging exposed what he termed serious flaws in the implementation of the multi-crore urban infrastructure programme.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah strongly defended the National Conference’s statehood campaign, accusing several political parties of attempting to undermine the movement through criticism and social media campaigns instead of joining what he described as a common cause for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
‘Statehood Movement Will Continue’
The Chief Minister said the National Conference had consistently pursued the restoration of statehood through democratic and constitutional means despite criticism at every stage.
Referring to the recent protest organised in New Delhi, Omar Abdullah said the demonstration was aimed at reminding the Central Government of its repeated assurances regarding the restoration of statehood.
He said invitations had been extended to all political parties to join the campaign, but many chose to stay away and instead ridiculed the initiative.
“They left no stone unturned to make our protest unsuccessful,” he said, alleging that some political parties preferred criticising the National Conference rather than standing united on an issue concerning the future of Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar Abdullah maintained that the campaign would continue in different forms until the Centre honoured its commitment.
“The mode and process of protest may change, but the movement for statehood will continue,” he asserted.
‘Statehood Comes Before Constitutional Debate’
Responding to criticism that his party should have prioritised the issue of Article 370, the Chief Minister said restoration of statehood was essential before any meaningful discussion on constitutional safeguards.
“Without statehood, what is the meaning of talking about Article 370 or even Article 371?” he asked.
He argued that Jammu and Kashmir, as a Union Territory, lacks a State List and many powers that ordinarily belong to an elected state government continue to remain with the Centre and the Lieutenant Governor’s administration.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the National Conference had never abandoned its stand on the constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir and had consistently raised the issue through democratic and constitutional forums.
Highlighting the Delhi protest, Omar Abdullah described it as a significant political milestone and praised National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah for leading the demonstration despite being 90 years old.
He also thanked party workers and supporters who travelled to New Delhi at their own expense to participate in the protest, reaffirming the party’s commitment to fulfilling its promises to the people.
Smart City Project to Face Independent Audit
Turning to urban infrastructure, Omar Abdullah announced that the Jammu and Kashmir Government would order an independent inquiry into the Srinagar Smart City Project after heavy rainfall led to widespread waterlogging across the city.
Describing the situation as “shameful,” the Chief Minister said even the ground floor of the Civil Secretariat was inundated during the recent downpour.
“If the Civil Secretariat itself gets flooded, it reflects the gravity of the problem and raises serious questions about the quality and planning of the works executed under the Smart City Project,” he said.
He alleged that while significant emphasis had been placed on beautification works, including the development of the Jhelum riverfront, basic civic infrastructure such as storm-water drainage and flood management had been neglected.
“The banks of the Jhelum were beautified, but the rest of the city remains in a mess,” he remarked, adding that the recent rainfall had exposed glaring weaknesses in Srinagar’s drainage system despite years of Smart City development.
Third-Party Audit to Examine Entire Project
The Chief Minister disclosed that the Cabinet had already decided to conduct an independent third-party audit of the Srinagar Smart City Project, with the formal government order expected to be issued shortly.
He said the audit would examine whether the works executed under the project were in accordance with the approved Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), whether public funds had been utilised efficiently, whether construction quality met prescribed standards and whether the project had delivered the outcomes promised to the people.
The review will also assess the overall implementation of the project and identify deficiencies requiring corrective action.
The Srinagar Smart City Project has been implemented through Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL), the Special Purpose Vehicle established under the Central Government’s Smart Cities Mission.
Compensation for Victims, Permanent Solution Planned
The Chief Minister said his government would deploy every available resource to permanently address the recurring problem of waterlogging in Srinagar, with engineering-based solutions being prioritised to strengthen the city’s drainage infrastructure and minimise flooding during future spells of heavy rainfall.
He also announced that the administration would carry out a detailed assessment of losses suffered by residents due to waterlogging and provide compensation to eligible victims in accordance with existing disaster relief norms and government guidelines.
The announcement comes amid growing public concern over recurring urban flooding, prolonged construction activity, traffic congestion, inadequate parking facilities and allegations that despite expenditure running into thousands of crores of rupees, several components of the Smart City Project have failed to deliver the expected improvements in urban infrastructure.
Reiterating his government’s commitment, Omar Abdullah said both the fight for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and the effort to improve governance and public infrastructure would continue with equal determination. —(BuzzBytes)
