CM handled challenging situations with immense political wisdom: Naeem

                   PWD Minister visits Kargil;Inaugurates 2 major bridges,

                 lays foundation of one bridge on Drass River

KARGIL, JULY 13: Minister for Public Works, Mr Naeem Akhtar today said that Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti has emerged as a real leader in the face of the challenging situations confronting the State.

“Whether it was her sincere effort to ensure convergence of aspirations of the people of various regions and sub-regions of J&K on implementation of GST or handling of the situation in the aftermath of the tragic attack on Amarnath Yatris, the Chief Minister has demonstrated her leadership qualities with immense political wisdom,” Mr Akhtar said while interacting with people during his extensive tour of Kargil district today.

The Minister said that by rising against the atrocious attack on Yatris jointly and unequivocally, the people of Jammu and Kashmir counteracted the viciously divisive and dangerously provocative propaganda launched by some news channels against the State and its people. “The Chief Minister led the people from the front in reaching out to the victims and counteracting the barrage of negative propaganda which was unleashed against the State and its people in the aftermath of the attack,” he said and added that the Chief Minister at the same time made it unambiguously clear that the peace-loving people of Kashmir won’t be cowed down by such dastardly acts of violence which has only brought miseries to the State over the past more than two decades.

The Minister said that the present Government is working on the roadmap laid down in the “Agenda of Alliance” and is committed towards the catalyzing reconciliation and confidence building within and across the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K thereby ensuring peace in the state which will, in turn, create an enabling environment for all round economic development of J&K and prosperity of its people. 

He said strengthening of old cross-LoC routes and opening of new roads will propel the state into an era of unprecedented progress and development. He said that the borders cannot be changed but opening of roads like Kargil-Skardu will help the entire people of the region to prosper.

He said similarly focus has to be on intra-state connectivity to connect different regions of the state with each other with dependable road network.

While addressing a public delegation at Drass the Minister assured the people that the government is working on equitable development of all the regions of the state. The Minister said that the border region of Drass and Kargil is set for a huge transformation as the construction work on vital Zojila tunnel will start soon. He said that the tunnel will realize the dream of all weather connectivity of the region and will change the destiny of entire Ladakh region.

During the first day of his tour the Minister along with Chairman Legislative Council Haji Anayat Ali inaugurated two major bridges and laid the foundation stone on one bridge on Drass River on the Srinagar-Kargil National highway.

The bridges include Steel Trussed Bridge Latoo under Special Task Force completed at a cost of Rs. 421 lakhs and Steel Trussed Bridge at Hardass under Special Task Force being executed at a cost of Rs 488. 51 lacs. He also laid foundation of Steel Trussed Bridge Karkitchoo being executed under 13th FC at a cost of Rs. 170 lakhs. The Minister was accompanied by Vice Chairman, J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board Mansoor Hussain, MLA Kargil Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaie, Executive Councilor for Rural Development Aga Syed Hassan Armaan Mosavi, Executive Councilor for Agriculture Mohammed Hussain, Deputy Commissioner Kargil Haji Gulzar Hussain and SSP Kargil Tsering Gyalpo.  

The Minister assured the people of Latoo, Hardass and Karkitchoo that the upgradation of road network, irrigation and drinking water facility will be taken up on priority basis.

The Minister said that all major demands of Drass region including construction of a Bypass road and connecting the area with Chutak hydroelectric plant will be taken up soon.

Various delegations of people called on the Minister and apprised him of their problems related to healthcare, educational, drinking water and other basic amenities. The Minister assured the people that all the problems will be taken care of on priority basis.