Srinagar, Aug 15: Residents of several areas of summer capital Srinagar city Sunday alleged Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) for failing in identifying and execution of developmental works and accused elected Corporators of duping masses. However the Corporators cite administrative apathy in addressing public grievances on time.

Locals of Kathidarwaza Rainawari, Naidyar, Zadibal, Bemina, Batamaloo and Chanapora areas while talking to Rising Kashmir expressed strong resentment over inordinate delay in addressing public grievances by SMC and alleged local Corporators for paying no heed to problems facing people at local level.

The locals said, “The elected representatives have miserably failed” in bringing up the public grievances to higher authorities, leaving inconvenience to people.

“The SMC Corporators are liable to bring people’s grievance to the notice of higher authorities however they have miserably failed in deliverance”, Mohammad Iqbal Lone of Kathi-Darwaza told Rising Kashmir.

He said people have a lot of issues and are struggling in the absence of walk-able roads and drainage networks. “Locals of the area communicated the issue to the concerned Corporator but we fail to understand how he evaded from addressing people’s concern”, Lone said.

Irshad Ahmad, a resident of Naidyar, Rainawari said that locals are suffering badly due to the devastated condition of Naidyar – Hassanabad link road. He said the stretch remains busy with Muharram processions but the eroded condition of the road will leave people to suffer further.

“Earlier the local Corporator assured the road will be macadamized within weeks; however, a month has passed now and nothing has been done in this regard”, he said.

“We were hoping that elected SMC Corporators will provide relief to people while addressing developmental works in absence of an elected Government but all proved hoax”, a resident of Chanapora, Manzoor Ahmad told Rising Kashmir.

He said neither interior road connectivity nor drainage issues have been addressed from the last two years. “Despite approaching the local SMC Corporator, the residents are compelled to move from pillar to post”, he said.

“What a common man achieve when an elected representative has failed to bring respite to people”, Manzoor questioned.

While citing “administrative apathy” in delivering at grass root level, several SMC Corporators denied their role in delaying developmental works.

Aga Syed Muhammad Hussaini, Corporator from Ward-63, Kathi-Darwaza while speaking to Rising Kashmir said works identified in previous year are yet to be taken up despite completion of a year. “During last year’s Muharram, the then Commissioner SMC, Gazanfar Ali visited the area along with Mayor, Deputy Mayor and other concerned officers and identified several works in Ward-63 on-spot, however after passing a year now, no work among them was started”, he said.

Terming officials to visit before and during Muharram into respective areas a mere “drama”, Aga said the bureaucracy is not favorable to people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Files sent to the Secretariat for approval are gathering dust there from years and not being returned to respective offices”, Aga asserted.

He added that the Khoji-Yarbal area is suffering from drinking water supply for the last eight months but official apathy has left people to suffer unnecessarily. “Work has been sanctioned and funds also approved but still officials are not executing the job”, Aga said.

“We are elected representatives of people but unfortunately the administration is leaving no stone unturned to diminish our credibility in public”, he added.

Tanveer Hussain Pathan, another SMC Corporator from Ward-56, Zadibal, Alamgari Bazar also said that last year’s approved works are yet to be taken up. He said besides general works, the restoration works that need immediate intervention are also being held up. “A Street in my ward recently caved in and needs immediate intervention but here too the administration's pathetic behaviour is the same,” he said. He alleged that SMC’s Works Division is totally defunct and caused Corporators to suffer badly.

“People mandated us to address developmental works at the local level; however, due to the pathetic outlook of authorities, we have lost our credibility in the public domain,” Pathan said.

“I feel ashamed to face people who had high hopes on me”, Zahoor Hussain, SMC Corporator from Bemina spoke.

He said in addition to eleven-lac rupees, Corporators were also given fourteen-lac rupees to spend on developmental works in their areas; however after identifying and estimating, my four-works were cancelled by SMC without citing a reason.

“My job is to identify works while approving funds is up to administration but they doesn’t”, Zahoor alleged.

He said if the administration starts to cooperate, people will have a sigh of relief. “I have identified a few works in my ward, eight months and submitted all documents with SMC; however nothing has been done so far”, he said and added, “Though works are approved and funds are also available, officials are not giving a nod to take the developmental works ahead”.

“People have no faith on us”, the Corporator maintained. Farooq Ahmad, another Corporator from Ward-11 Chanapora while speaking to Rising Kashmir expressed in the same tune. “Since I became Corporator, I identified several works that were estimated to rupee 3.5 Cr, however only works worth 75-lac were approved”, he said.

He however added since January 2021 no developmental or renovation work commissioned in my ward. “The official apathy has ruined our identity. We are being seen as deceivers”, Farooq Ahmad said.

He also added the entire structure of SMC seems to have collapsed as people are immensely suffering even for obtaining building permissions. “As per Building Permission Act (BPA), SMC is liable to grant the permission within 15-days however people are moving from pillar to post for months there with no output”, he said.

“In bureaucracy files are only moving from one table to another”, Farooq alleged.

Speaking to Rising Kashmir, Commissioner SMC Amir Athar Khan denied the allegations related to delay in executing developmental works. “The roads identified by Corporators are currently in the tendering stage. This financial year the Corporators were given 20-lac rupees each to identify works. We have received the list from there and sent it to the Government for approval”, he said and added, “The funds for such works have also been approved and the job is currently under tendering stage”.

When asked about why last year's work has not been taken up yet, the Commissioner SMC said, “If there is any such grievance, the concerned person must visit my office. I will check the matter definitely and will take action accordingly why works are delayed”. He said that the SMC will expedite the process in the coming days.