Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Aug 1: The widening of Syed Meerak Shah road from Dalgate to Zakura which passes through old city here is stalled for the last five years with officials citing paucity of funds and structure acquisition for the delay in completing the project.
The project began in 2009 with an aim to streamline vehicular movement through congested areas of the old city and remove traffic snarls. However, over a decade later even the first phase of the project is incomplete as work has faced repeated disruptions right from the beginning.
This 10.33 kilometers road stretch from Dalgate to Zakura serves as a vital surface link to old city, Hazratbal shrine, and the University of Kashmir, and its up-gradation was seen as a major step towards easing the traffic woes of the people. However, the delay in the widening process has worsened the traffic scenario of the old city, and busy squares like Khayam, Khayar and Rainawari are the worst affected.
The overstretching of the project has not only doubled the estimated cost of the project but escalating real estate prices increased the acquisition cost as well. The real estate prices have skyrocketed since 2009, prompting the affected property owners to seek compensation as per the market rates. This leads to a deadlock and halted the project.
The majority of the affected owners are willing to cooperate with the government, if fair compensation is given to them. “We are ready to cooperate with government but they should pay us compensation as per the present market value. Government is not even paying half of the rates,” a building owner said.
The people living along the road stretch blamed the lax attitude of the authorities for the delay in the project’s completion. Why did they start the project if acquisition costs were high? Did not they predict it while framing the proposal? The higher compensation or escalating costs is a lame excuse. They have wasted a decade in this simple project,” Yasmin Ahmad, a local said, adding that the new administration should intervene and redress all the issues associated with the project as it has great public importance.
While divulging details an official said many structures were involved in the execution of the project and that has delayed it. “Only those stretches are unattended where the acquisition of structures is required. Some of the residential house owners have moved to the court. There are issues of acquisition. We have already taken up with the government and are hopeful that the issue will be settled, “he said.
“Because of these pending stretches, the project is held up. We are developing the stretches which are available to us. In many places, we have done it. We need more funds for the acquisition of these structures,” he said.
Chief Engineer Roads and Buildings Department, Showkat Jeelani told Excelsior the pending issues would be resolved soon. “The work will hopefully, resume soon as we have received a positive response from the government regarding the settlement of all the pending issues.”
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