Fayaz Bukhari
The Urbanization and suburbanization in Srinagar city has led to massive growth of Batmaloo constituency where new colonies are coming up on either side of Baramulla-Srinagar National Highway in the low lying areas. It is one of the biggest constituencies which has over 1.3 lakh voters with a sizable population in rural areas.
The Constituency that is represented by Irfan Shah of ruling National Conference starts from Ram Bagh bridge in South and is extended upto Gund Hassi Bhat on Srinagar-Baramulla highway and Mujgund on Srinagar-Bandipora road in North with adjacent villages including Takanwari, Bakhsipora, Tengpora, Malroo, Aban Shah, Kushipora, Lawveypora, Zainakote, Shalteng and Ubran localities including Bemina Colony, Batmaloo, Aloocha Bagh and Tengpora.
The major problems faced by the people in the constituency are mainly of drainage, drinking water, pot holed roads and erratic power supply. Majority of the areas of the constituency are near the major hospitals of the Valley like SMHS Hospital, SKIMS Hospital Bemina, Lal Ded Memorial Hospital and Bone and Joints Hospital. With these hospitals in their backyard, there is not any major problem faced by the people on Health facility front. However, some residents want dispensaries in their localities so that minor ailments are taken care of in their respective localities at these dispensaries.
Residents of Mahrajpora Firdous Abad Batmaloo said that their roads are in dilapidated condition and they face severe drinking water crisis. Hilal Ahmad, a local resident, said that they approached the PHE authorities with their problem but it was not addressed. “The Engineers told us that the locality is to be connected with a pipeline for which PHE had no money. We collected Rs 12, 000 for the pipes and asked the PHE to connect the area with the main supply line of Batmaloo. We were asked to lay the pipeline for which we again collected Rs 6000. Now they have to connect it with the main pipeline and so far they didn’t. They say they need permission of the higher-ups. Our entire exercise has been wasted so far”, they said.
The residents said that they have no medical dispensary in the area to deal with the minor health problem. “The area is nearer to SMHS Hospital but we need a dispensary to take care of minor health problems for the area. We have told the authorities about our demand but they didn’t pay any attention”, said Shakeel Ahmad of Mahrajpora Batmaloo.
Residents of Firdous Colony said that their roads are full of pot holes and they are not being repaired. “During winters we have problem of frequent breakdown of power transformer and we have to repair it from our own money as department never bothers to repair it”, said Abdul Rahim, a local resident.
The residents also said that they have problem of water-logging during winters. “We have a deep drain in our locality but during winters the drain water enters our homes, especially bathrooms. One of our neighbours sold his house due to this problem”, says Zaffar Ahmad of Firdous Colony.
Residents of Batmaloo say that the main road leading from Rekka Chowk to Tengpora Bypass in Batmaloo is full of pot holes. “It was macadamized last year and the macadam lasted for few months only. We approached the authorities but they didn’t respond. They, however, told us that the contractor has used substandard material and he will be asked to repair the road”, said Mohammad Tahir of Batmaloo.
Javed Ahmad said that due to the construction work going on Rambagh-Jehanghir Chowk flyover in Srinagar, the traffic is diverted through Batmaloo. “It leads to huge traffic jams. I start from Lal Chowk at 4:30 pm. and reach home by 7 pm. due to traffic jam. Normally, I cover this distance in 10 minutes. If the internal roads of Batmaloo are repaired and traffic is managed properly the problem will be partly solved but Government doesn’t bother”, he said.
A resident of Lane 5 in Batmaloo, Danish, says that they have no tape water for past two years. “All the residents in the locality store drinking water in tanks as the water tankers supply water to the locality on alternate days. Every household is supplied 500 litres of water for two days. It is not sufficient as we have to use this water for cooking, bathing and washing clothes. Lanes of our locality are full of pot holes. We have no community hall and people erect tents on roads during marriages and deaths. We have approached the local MLA for a community hall but he seems to be more concerned about his vote bank”, he adds.
The residents of Aloocha Bagh have a similar story to tell. They face the problem of water shortage, power shortage, water logging during rains and traffic jams. They said that Government started work on the deep drain for the locality several years ago but it has caused more trouble for us than solving it. They blocked the original drain leading to water logging and the work on the drain is going at snail’s pace”, they said.
Residents of Sultanul Arifeen Colony in Bemina say that their area faces problem of drainage and electricity crisis and drop in voltage. “Half of Mohalla has no drains and during winters water enters our home. And during summers water logging of the locality breeds mosquitoes. We requested the SMC to deal with our mosquito problem but they hardly bother. It is very difficult to live here in summers”, said Mohammad Ifran, a local resident.
The residents said that the locality suffers from frequent power cuts and drop in the voltage. “The voltage drops below 30 watts. We approached the Chief Engineer PDD but he didn’t respond. We use transformers to boost voltage and it never reaches above 150 watts. This problem is here for several years now. We don’t see any solution as PDD authorities say that they have no funds”, said Waseem Ahmad, a local resident.
The new colonies that have come up along the Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway face problems of water logging, drainage, electricity and bad roads. Major concern for the residents of one of these colonies, Usmanabad Shalteng, is drainage.
Says Mohammad Amin, a local: “For past 5 years a deep drain is being constructed between Chek Mujgund to Shalteng. It can solve the drainage and water logging problems but it is still stuck at Mujgund. If the pace of work remains same it may take another decade for the deep drain to get compled”, he said.
“Due to water logging of roads of our locality, they were raised. Now water is getting accumulated in our house as there is no outlet in absence of drainage. We approached Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and our MLA Irfan Shah, with the water logging issue and they assured us to provide de-watering pump but so far it has not been. During rainy season and winters travelling upto main road becomes difficult for us”, said Javed Ahmad, a local.
The residents of Usmanabad said: “We have frequent power cuts in our locality and voltage is also very low. We approached PDD Chief Engineer and he told us that the department has no funds. Meters have been installed 5 years ago here but they were not connected. We have frequent power cuts for being in non-metered area while metered areas have better power supply.”
They said that the roads are full of pot holes and for past few weeks they have started repairing but the material used is not of good quality and it may not long last. “And we have drinking water shortage during summers. The facilities in our locality is worst than any backward area”, they added.
Nazir Ahmad of Mustafaabad, Zainakote says: “The MLA has not visited our locality since he was elected in 2008. We have erratic power and drinking water supply. There is no drainage. When it rains we have to wear long boots up to the main highway. When Tariq Hamid Karra was MLA here, our roads were macadamized some 8 years ago since then these roads have developed pot holes and are not being repaired.”
Residents of Makhdoom Colony Maloora say that they face frequent power crisis. Riyaz Ahmad, a local resident, said that their transformer has developed a technical snag few weeks ago and they are without electricity. “We approached the PDD officials they don’t bother”, he said.
Riyaz said that they don’t have electric poles and proper electric wires in their locality. “In absence of the poles, the wires are tied to the trees. There is every danger to the human lives in absence of the electric poles. We approached the PDD officials, they don’t pay any attention”, he said.
In Maloora village, residents say that the Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration cards are given to the workers of the political parties of National Conference, People’s Democratic Party and Congress. “It is the village headman and the political party workers who issue these cards to their workers and even to the Government employees while deserving are left out” says Javed Ahmad, a local resident.
They allege that green houses and Tubewells in the village were distributed to the political party workers while deserving were left out. “Agriculture Department also distributes vegetable seeds through these political workers only who later distribute it to their voters”, said Tariq Ahmad, a local of Maloora.
Residents of Aban Shah, Kushipora say that they have drinking water crisis in their area. “We were promised by the MLA that area will get water from new water supply scheme, Sukhnag Water Supply Scheme but it has so far remained a promise only”, he added. “Our main road connecting with Srinagar Bypass at Parimpora is also full of pot holes. Our agriculture land also remains inundated and we are unable to grow paddy on it. We had requested the Government to strengthen the bunds of the flood channel but work on it is going on snail pace and we continue to suffer losses”, they said.
Abdul Majid of Shalteng says that they water logging is the major crisis for the locality. “Apart from it we have frequent power cuts and power snags, we approached the concerned officials but they don’t respond”, he adds.
However, MLA Irfan Shah said that he has spent his entire Constituency Development Fund on the development of lanes, by-lanes, drainage and other developmental works in Batmaloo constituency during over past 5 years.
“Two deep drain projects were taken up in his constituency to over the drainage problem. Fifty percent work on Rs 9 crore Maloora deep drain of four kilometers is complete. Twenty five percent work on Aloocha Bagh deep rain is also complete. Besides drains at Lachmanpora, Bonpora Batmaloo, Bemina, Barthana, Lawyapora and Tengpora Batmaloo were constructed”, says Shah.
“I have constructed four community centres in my constituency at Chotta Bazar, Shuthrashahi, Zampa Kadal and Malroo areas at the cost of Rs 6 crore. Sports stadium at Tengpora, Bakshipora at Rs 30 lakh were constructed. Rs 12 crore Trauma Hospital at Lawyapora, Health centres at Mirabad, Firdousabad Batmaloo and Lachmanpora were constructed. Rs 3.2 crore foot bridge at Takanwari and Receiving Station and CAPD centre at Shaheed Gunj was constructed. We have provided drinking water from Rangil Water Supply Scheme to Bakshipora, Tengpora, Takanwari, Gund Hassibhat, half of Zainakote and are in the process of providing drinking water to Aban Shah, Kushipora and half of Zainakote from Sukhnag Water Supply Scheme. We have also done black topping, semi-dense and upgrading of over 350 kilometres of road in our constituency”, said Shah.
The constituency is represented by Irfan Shah since 2008. Shah defeated Tariq Hamid Karra of PDP by a margin of 2709 votes. Shah had polled 9447 votes and Karra 6738. However, in 2014 Parliamentary elections Karra who won elections from Srinagar got a lead of 5195 votes over his rival and National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah in Batmaloo Assembly segment. Karra got 9431 votes and Abdullah polled 4236 votes in the Assembly segment.
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