Redesigned Polo-View

KM Desk
The markets in Srinagar will soon resemble the ones in metro cities, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said after he inaugurated a market under the smart city project in the heart of Srinagar city.
“The Polo View Market has been redesigned under the Smart City project. The electric wires and telecom fibre have all been laid underground. The market can be kept open even during the night,” Lieutenant Governor while speaking to media persons said.
Known for handicrafts and handloom products, the shopping centre has been transformed into a premium pedestrian market by Srinagar Smart City Limited. “This market has been transformed into pedestrian-oriented high street that will attract more footfall, increased retail sale, and improved experience of visitors. This is just a start and in the days to come, the smart city project will develop many such markets on Residency Road, Lal Chowk and the old city area,” the LG said.
“The endeavour to make Srinagar look like Delhi or Chandigarh or other big cities is on. The people who have come here would have felt that they were in Delhi or Mumbai and not in Srinagar. You will get to see many more markets like this in the coming days,” Sinha added.
The posh market has undergone a massive facelift after about 60 years and will now be a pedestrian mall with no vehicles, dangling wires or open drains.
“The development has been made without any drastic changes. The traffic will ply on a newly carved road on the market’s backside,” officials said.
The shopping street has dozens of high-end shops selling different merchandise and has now become Valley’s first wire-free market. Magnificent Chinar trees, which have been left untouched, have added to the glory of the market.
The market is around seven decades’ old and was named after adjacent polo ground where matches used to be played before the Partition.
Other than the Polo View market, the LG also inaugurated two other Srinagar Smart City projects and 25 urban local bodies (ULB) projects. The two smart city projects include Abi Guzar Shiv temple, which has been renovated and dedicated to the people and smart advanced traffic management vehicles that have been included in the fleet for Srinagar smart city.
Of the projects dedicated to the public, 16 are development projects in 11 ULBs and nine solid waste management facilities in 10 ULBs.
The LG said these projects will significantly boost urban infrastructure and give an impetus to ease of living. Bicycle-sharing facilities for different locations in the city were also inaugurated on the occasion by the LG.
“The holistic approach in developing urban infrastructure is focused on Individual's well-being, new avenues and opportunities for the people for more diversified incomes, improved service delivery, mobility, cleanliness and to achieve the objectives of sustainable urban development,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He also highlighted the steps taken to fulfil the aspirations of all 40 ULBs of Kashmir Division.
“We have put people at the centre of cities and the projects both development and solid waste management, are offering unprecedented opportunity to improve the lives of millions of urban residents,” he said.
The newly inaugurated projects are the testimony to our commitment to improve urban environment, he further added.
Speaking on the development journey of J&K over the past few years, the Lieutenant Governor expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the unparalleled growth of the UT.
“Today, economic development is gaining new momentum, pace of completion of projects has increased 9 times and every section of the society is feeling empowered,” said the Lieutenant Governor.
Citizens are now co-constructing policies so that infrastructure projects are developed as per needs of the people, he added.
The Lieutenant Governor called upon the elected representatives of the ULBs and the common people to work shoulder to shoulder with the administration in the mission to rejuvenate the cities and make them more vibrant, efficient, clean and sustainable.
“Infrastructure should become a strong base to improve the quality of life of every citizen. We must ensure that infrastructure development meet the needs of the 21st century and reflect the priceless heritage & traditions of our cities,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He further emphasized on encouraging maximum public participation in beautification of cities and swachhata campaigns.
At the Polo View, the Lieutenant Governor interacted with the shop-keepers and presented a token of appreciation to the Traders Association for their cooperation.
Bicycle sharing facilities for different locations in the city was also inaugurated on the occasion.
H Rajesh Prasad, Principal Secretary Housing & Urban Development Department gave a detailed overview of the projects inaugurated at the occasion. Besides Mathoora Masoom, Director Urban Local Bodies Kashmir informed about the ongoing projects for the development of urban areas of the region.
Junaid Azim Mattu, Mayor SMC; Vijay Kumar, ADGP Kashmir; Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Athar Amir Khan, Commissioner SMC and CEO Srinagar Smart City Limited; ULB members, senior officials and prominent citizens were present at the occasion.