Articles by "Naeem Akhtar"
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Hello Jammu News at 5:37:00 PM 0


14460 bunkers to be constructed along IB, LoC in Jammu region at a cost of Rs 415.73 cr
SRINAGAR, JUNE 18:Minister for Public Works, Naeem Akhtar today reviewed the progress of construction of Safety Bunkers and Evacuation Shelters along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region.
Chief Secretary, B B Vyas, Principal Secretary Home, R K Goyal, Commissioner Secretary R&B, Sanjeev Verma, Development Commissioner Works, R K Razdan, Chief Engineer R&B Jammu, Sudhir Shah, Chief Engineer R&B Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad Bhat, Managing Director, Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC), Vikar Mustafa Shuntho and other officers of the concerned Departments were present at the meeting. 
The meeting was informed that the Government of India has sanctioned construction of 14,460 bunkers at a cost of Rs 415.73 crore to safeguard the lives of the people living along the LoC and IB in J&K.These would include 13029 Individual Bunkers and 1431 Community Bunkers. Besides, Evacuation Sheds are also to be constructed along the LoC and IB to deal with emergencies during cross-border shelling.
The bunkers are to be constructed by the R&B Department which has already approved the proposal, including design and specifications and tenders to start construction will be issued soon.
While 7,298 bunkers are being constructed along the LoC in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, 7162 underground bunkers would be constructed along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts, the meeting was told.
The meeting was further informed that the capacity of the 160 square feet individual bunker would be eight people, and that of the 800 square feet community bunker would be 40 people.
The meeting was informed that the hilly terrain of districts like Poonch substantially increases the head-load while bunkers in low-lying areas need water-proofing, which increases the cost of Rs 2.50 lakh per bunker fixed by the Centre.“The Works Department will write to the Ministry of Home Affairs to approve 30-40 percent hike in cases where changes are required in specification due to difficult geography or the cost of ferrying material to the construction site is high,” the Minister said.
The meeting was informed that nearly all tenders for individual bunkers have been issued in areas of Jammu, Samba, Poonch and Rajouri. The Minister directed the officers to ensure that the respective Deputy Commissioners fast track the process of site clearances.
Once the construction is over, the bunkers will be geotagged in consultation with Rural Development Department as per existing norms, officials said.
The meeting also discussed the process for construction of Evacuation Complexes (Seema Bhawans) along the border areas. The officers attending the meeting informed that the process will be started soon and a project report will be prepared for border areas in Kupwara and Uri in the first stage to be sent to the concerned union ministry for approval. 
The complexes will have apartments with separate toilets for ladies and gents, kitchen, living room, common reading room and sheds for livestock. The Minister said he will hold a meeting with respective Deputy Commissioners soon to finalize the process.
The meeting also reviewed the progress for creating additional accommodation for Kashmir migrants.
It was decided in the meeting that instead of creating isolated residential accommodation for the Kashmiri migrants, the State Government would develop assorted accommodation at various places where the Move and Non-Move Employees and the Kashmiri Migrants employed under the PM’s Special Package would be housed jointly to revive the age-old Kashmiri composite culture and tradition.
The meeting was informed that the state government has already identified land at some places and Detailed Project Reports for them are in the process of being issued, “The apartments should have community facilities like multi-purpose hall, parking facilities, playground, proper green-cover with mixed population to reflect the cultural diversity of J&K,” Akhtar said, while directing the Works Department to appoint a Nodal Officer for centralizing the process of project implementation. 

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Hello Jammu News at 6:35:00 PM 0

SRINAGAR, JUNE 14: Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today visited the SPS Library in Srinagar to review the process of shifting books from district libraries of Kashmir to the state-of-the-art library in the capital city.
The Minister took stock of the preparations being made by the Department of Libraries and Research for shifting the stock of books lying in various district libraries of Kashmir to the central library which is expected to be thrown open to public after Eid-ul-Fitr. 
Akhtar urged the officers of the Department of Libraries and Research to ensure that the shifting process is completed soon and the existing stockpile of books is enriched with latest additions from the world of literature to make the SPS Library a world-class institution and an incubation centre for scholars and researchers.
During the visit, the Minister also called for reviving the culture of book reading and reading rooms to enrich the intellectual capital of the state. Director of Libraries, Masarat-ul-Islam and other senior officers of the Department accompanied the minister during his visit to the library.
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Hello Jammu News at 6:19:00 PM 0

‘703 roads, 73 bridges to be taken up this fiscal’
SRINAGAR: Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today said the Union Ministry of Rural Development has approved projects worth more than Rs 3300 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojna that will be taken up in Jammu and Kashmir during this fiscal.
Under PMGSY Phase 1, the Union Ministry has sanctioned construction of 703 roads and 73 bridges worth Rs 3324.14 crores including macadamisation of new 2752 kilometres and upgrading of 1870 km road length in different parts of the state under the centrally sponsored scheme.
In a major boost for road connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry has also approved construction of 73 Long Span Bridges with length of 3084 metres. In total, 4821 km road length including new ones and those at different stages of construction have been approved by the ministry which will connect 39 inhabitations with mainland.
“This feat has become possible with strenuous efforts of J&K’s Development Commissioner, Chief Engineers and other officers of the Public Works and other allied Departments who ensured that the recommendations sent to the Centre meet all the requirements under the PMGSY. The state government is also grateful to the Centre for sanctioning record number of projects that will boost the developmental works in the state,” he said.
Akhtar said the new projects sanctioned under PMGSY will boost the developmental agenda of the state government spearheaded by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, “These connectivity projects will erase the geographical boundaries between people living in far flung areas of the state and open up new vistas of social progress and economic prosperity,” he said.
The Works Minister complimented the team of planners and engineers who have managed to get sanction for record number of projects under the centrally-sponsored scheme, the first part of which, PMGSY 1, is closing this year, “It is the recognition of the revival of the spirit of PMGSY witnessed under the present state government that such a package has been sanctioned to J&K for the first time,” Akhtar said.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:06:00 PM 0

‘Exhibition held for first time since 1981, great opportunity to explore JK’s glorious past’
SRINAGAR, JUNE 7: Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today threw open an extraordinary five-day exhibition of rare Quranic manuscripts, Islamic art objects and calligraphy specimen at the main gallery in Tourist Reception Centre here.
On display in the exhibition that will remain open to the public till June 11 are some rare Quranic Manuscripts, the holy text, translations and commentary, some of which have never been displayed before. The exhibition is being held at this scale for the first time since 1981 when it was organized at the TRC only.
“It is a historic moment for Jammu and Kashmir and a great opportunity for art lovers and commoners alike to explore and connect with our glorious past.  These manuscripts and artefacts are a living testimony of the cultural renaissance that has shaped the future of our state,” Akhtar said.
The Minister said the collection from the medieval period has been brought together with efforts and contribution by all the Departments and private collectors for the first time since 1981 and it will help in shedding light on our past and educating our future generations.
“The purpose of this event is to educate people about our rich culture, superior artistic abilities and our high levels of knowledge even in medieval times,” Akhtar said adding that some of the collections, including a compendium on herbs and herbal trees from ‘Hakeem Collection’ and Diwan of Sheikh Yaqoob Sarfi are being exhibited for the first time.
The exhibition titled ‘Sheerin Qalam’ is being organised by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Language in collaboration with Directorates of Tourism, Libraries, Archives, Archeology and Museum, INTACH Kashmir Chapter and Shashvat Art Gallery, Jammu.
Among hundreds of manuscripts and artefacts at the display is the oldest available manuscript of Holy Quran in Kashmiri calligraphy by Fathullah Kashmiri in 1237 AD, gold-illuminated Shajra-Maqadasa of Islam’s prophets, a Quran dated 961 AH which is handwritten on Samarqandi paper and a Persian translation of the Quran by Mir Saeed Andrabi in 1850 among others.
The Culture Minister lauded the effort of the Academy, other State Departments and private collectors of Jammu and Kashmir in preserving the artefacts and manuscripts, “Such exhibitions must be organized in other areas of the state and the country to provide a learning curve for our students and curious minds,” Akhtar said.
The opening ceremony was also attended by Director of Archives, Archeology and Museum, Muneer-ul-Islam, Director Libraries, Masarat-ul-Islam, Secretary, JKAACL, Aziz Hajni, senior member INTACH, Saleem Beg, and other senior officers of the allied State Departments. 
Hundreds of art enthusiasts from different parts of the state participated in the opening event. A group of students from different schools also participated in a live calligraphy event which became a small centre of attraction for the visitors to the event.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:04:00 PM 0


SRINAGAR, JUNE 7: Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today took stock of the process for shifting the treasure trove of books lying in various libraries of the Valley to the Sri Pratap Singh (SPS) library in the heart of Srinagar.
During a meeting with the officers of the Directorate of Libraries, the Minister passed instructions to ensure that all the books lying in district libraries of the Kashmir Valley are shifted to SPS library before Eid-ul-Fitr so that it can be thrown open for public soon.
The Minister also instructed the officers to ensure that a lift is installed in the multi-storied library complex for the convenience of visitors and employees alike, “This library is a jewel of our cultural capital and the state government will make all efforts to make it one of the best libraries in the country,” Akhtar said.
Director Libraries, Masarat-ul-Islam and other officers of the Directorate of Libraries were also present in the meeting.

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Hello Jammu News at 7:01:00 PM 0

‘STP to be made operational before festival, more accommodation set up for devotees’
GANDERBAL, JUNE 06: Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar today visited Tulmulla here to review the arrangements made by the civil and police administration for hoisting the upcoming Mela Kheer Bhawani.
The visit came in the backdrop of the instructions issued by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for making the festival a hassle-free affair and to provide additional accommodation for devotees who throng the shrine in thousands to celebrate the annual festival of Goddess Bhawani.
During the visit, Akhtar took stock of the arrangements made for the devotees and the facilities provided for their convenience by the civil and police administration. The officers told the Minister that the Sewage Treatment Plant will be made operational at the shrine before the start of the festival.
Akhtar also discussed the modalities for optimum use of new STP facility to ensure that the environmental hazards are removed from the area around the shrine in a scientific manner. He said the cleaning of Tulmulla nallah will be done at local level, “A permanent and long-lasting option for keeping the nallah clean will be discussed with concerned authorities soon,” he said
The Culture Minister said a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits had met the Chief Minister recently and sought additional accommodation near the shrine, “In deference to their demands, 17 additional rooms along with kitchen and toilet facilities have been set up near the shrine for the convenience of devotees,” Akhtar said.
The Minister directed the officers of the civil and police administration to ensure uninterrupted water and power supply to the shrine and adjoining areas till the festival is over. He also directed the Food and Civil Supplies department to ensure sufficient quantities of food grain at depots around the shrine.     
Managing Director, JKPCC, SSP Ganderbal, Senior Engineer (Ganderbal Circle) and senior officers of the civil and police administration also attended the meeting.

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Hello Jammu News at 8:29:00 PM 0

SRINAGAR, MAY 31: Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today visited the Srinagar residence of Late MrsShamma Mir, daughter of ex-Prime Minister of J&K, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad. MrsShamma Mir passed away here last evening.
Akhtar expressed personal condolences with the family of MrsShamma Mir, wife of Mir Nasrullah, ex-chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, whose last rites were held today in Srinagar. He prayed for strength to the family in this time of huge loss and grief.
Recalling the contribution of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad towards the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Akhtar also prayed for peace of the departed soul. “May Allah (swt) grant her highest place in Jannah,” Akhtar said. The minister was also accompanied by senior officers of the state government.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:20:00 PM 0


SRINAGAR, MAY 25: Condemning the killing of a civilian in north Kashmir’s Hajin in the midst of the holy month of Ramadhan, Minister for Public Works and Culture Naeem Akhtar today said the law enforcing agencies have been instructed to ensure that the culprits of the heinous crime don’t escape the arms of law.
“It is heart-wrenching to note that the brutal and inhuman killing of Mohammad Yaqoob Wagay of Hajinhas taken place in the holy month of Ramadhan and particularly when the Centre has announced ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir,” Akhtar, who is also the J&K government spokesman, said.
“This is not the Kashmir we have cherished and for which some people are fighting for in varied ways. If this trend continues, there will be nothing left to fight for,” the Works Minister said, adding that the police has been instructed to investigate the case on a fast track basis.
Expressing condolences with the family of the slain man, Akhtar said the J&K government will take all necessary steps to ensure that the lives of civilians in Hajin are protected at all cost and the culprits of recent crimes in the area are brought to justice.

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Hello Jammu News at 7:18:00 PM 0


‘Minister issues on-spot directions on public issues’
GANDERBAL, MAY 24: Reaching out to the people of Ganderbal, Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today held a ‘Grievance Camp’ here to take stock of ongoing developmental works and address the issues faced by the people of the district. 
Several delegations comprising of young and old, men and women from various areas of Ganderbal district met the Minister at the office of Deputy Commissioner here, where the camp was organized, and apprised him about the problems faced by them in their day-to-day life regarding roads, supply of electricity and drinking water.
The Minister assured the delegations that the development of Ganderbal district is a top priority for the state government and the chief minister Mehbooba Mufti is taking keen interest in ensuring that the fruits of economic transformation taking place across the state are tasted by Ganderbal as well.   
“The government will come out with a holistic plan for overall development of Ganderbal including road widening and sanitation projects that will fulfil the long-pending demands of this historic town. Besides, the new hospital with state-of-the-art facilities will soon be dedicated to people which will go a long way in addressing the issues of healthcare in Ganderbal,” Akhtar said.
The Works Minister said that on the demand of several delegations, he has raised the issue of lack of proper sanitation in Ganderbal town with the Housing and Urban Development Minister, Sat Sharma, and a positive announcement will be made by the state government in this regard very soon.
During his interactions at the camp, the Minister gave patient hearing to the grievances of the people and also issued on-spot directions to the officers of the civil and police administration regarding the issues raised by the public. Senior officers of the district administration also attended the camp.

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Hello Jammu News at 6:41:00 PM 0

Minister review ‘Annual Developmental Plan’ of Public Works Deptt
SRINAGAR, MAY 24: With an aim to open up economic opportunities in the state through better connectivity, Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today reviewed the ‘Annual Developmental Plan’ of the Works Department for the current financial year at a high-level meeting in his office chamber here.
Minister for Finance, Labour & Employment, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Minister of State for PWD, Shakti Raj Parihar, Chief Secretary, B B Vyas,Principal Secretary, Finance, Navin K Chaudhary, Principal Secretary Planning & Development, Rohit Kansal, Commissioner Secretary, Public Works Department, Sanjeev Verma, Director General, Planning and Development, Shahzada Bilal, Chief Engineer, R&B and other officers of the Finance and Public Works Department were present at the meeting.
“Last year, new records were set by Jammu and Kashmir in infrastructure development. Our hardworking engineers and workers macadamised record road length under different centrally sponsored schemes. This year, we must resolve to move a step ahead in fulfilling the developmental agenda of our government,” Akhtar said, adding that the new projects will flip the process of infrastructure development in the state.
The Works Minister said Jammu and Kashmir is undergoing a new era of progress and prosperity under the leadership of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the economic transformation taking place in the state will go a long way in addressing the development deficit faced by the state over the last three decades.
During the meeting, the Minister was apprised about various connectivity projects that will be taken up in Jammu and Kashmir by the Works Department, including macadamisation of old roads, construction of new roads and bridges, etc. during this financial year.
“Jammu and Kashmir will be taking up record number of new projects under various centrally sponsored schemes like Central Road Fund, Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojna, NABARD, etc which will transform the economic landscape of the state and open up new avenues of opportunities,” Akhtar said.
Under CRF, 67 new projects have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways for Jammu and Kashmir for the current financial year.  Similarly, under NABARD, 128 new projects, including 11 bridges, have been sanctioned for the state. 
During the meeting, the issue of unpaid claims of contractors was also discussed in detail and it was agreed that the Planning and Finance departments shall work out a substantial amount to be provided to the Works department to take care of any liabilities.

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Hello Jammu News at 7:35:00 PM 0

PULWAMA, MAY 23:Minister for Works, Naeem Akhtar and Minister for Agriculture, Mohammad Khalil Bandh today visited the Mulberry Farm at Tumlahal, Pulwama spread over around 600 kanals of land.
The Ministers took stock of the existing facilities at the Mulberry Farm, which the locals said was one of the oldest such farms in the area.  They were informed that around 1000 families of the area are involved in Cocoon production.
The Minister assured the locals that the Government would diversify the activities of the Mulberry Farm to create Skill Development and job avenues for the local youth in aromatic and medicinal plants.
The Ministers also visited Zasow, Shadipora and Arihal to take stock of the developmental needs of the area.
The locals complained of the dilapidated condition of Tahab-Shadipora road and demanded its immediate repairs. They also demanded a Sports Stadium for the area.
Secretary Sports Council, Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, Dy Commissioner Pulwama, SSP Pulwama and other senior officers of the district administration accompanied the Minister.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:11:00 PM 0

‘Latest amendments in Book of Financial Powers will help expedite development process’
SRINAGAR, MAY 21:Continuing with the systemic reforms to bring transparency and efficacy in the administration, Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today said the latest amendments in the ‘Book of Financial Powers’ will empower the officers to speed up implementation of developmental projects in the state.
“These amendments will go a long way in not only bringing accountability and transparency in administration but will also empower officers to execute various developmental projects that may have suffered due to paucity of approved funds,” the Works Minister said.   
As per the amendments in the Book of Financial Powers issued vide Government Order No: 46-F of 2018 dated: 16.05.2018, the limit of funds under ‘Accord of Technical Sanction’ for a Superintending Engineer ranked officer has been raised from existing Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 1 crore.
Similarly, for Executive Engineer ranked officer, the limit has been raised from the prevailing Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 40 lakhs. For Assistant Executive Engineer ranked officer, the limit has been raised from Rs 50000 to Rs 1 lakh.
Under ‘Accord of Administrative Approval’, a Chief Engineer ranked officer’s limit has been raised from Rs 4 crore to Rs 10 crore. For Superintending Engineer, the limit has been raised from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 3 crore.
Under ‘Execution of Agreements’, for Superintending Engineer, the limit has been raised from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 5 crore while as for Executive Engineer, the limit has been raised from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 crore, according to the order issued by the state government.
Similarly, under ‘Award of Contracts’, the limit for Departmental Contract Committee has been raised from Rs 20 crores to Rs 40 crores. For Chief Engineer, the limit has been raised from Rs 10 crore to Rs 26 crore while the figure has gone up from Rs 5 crores for Superintending Engineer to Rs 7 crores.
The order states that the limit has been capped from the prevailing Rs 1 crore for Executive Engineer at Rs 1.5 crores. “Consequent upon the revision of Financial Powers as above, the powers delegated to Administrative Departments to Accord Administrative Approval in terms of Chapter 4.9 against S No.01 shall be revised separately,” the order reads.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:09:00 PM 0

Culture Minister dismayed over potential fire hazards at Old Secretariat building housing rare archives
SRINAGAR, MAY 18: Highlighting the significance of Museums as means of cultural exchanges, Minister for Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today said the State Government will carve out a separate museum for the capital city Srinagar as a tribute to the city’s rich history.
“The old building (of SPS Museum) is being conserved and we are hopeful that the process of conservation will be finished by the end of this year. Once the work is finished, we will design a separate museum for Srinagar city which will be a tribute to the city’s rich cultural and historical landscape,” Akhtar said.
The culture minister made these remarks during a function held at SPS Museum today to commemorate the International Day of Museum. The function was also attended by senior officers of the museum, enthusiastic school children and art lovers from different corners of the state.
A special exhibition of ‘Rare Manuscripts’ was held at the SPS museum here to commemorate the day.
“A nation’s museum is as rich as its history. In this regard, the SPS Museum is one of the most important museums in the country. It is the repository of Kashmir’s history enriched over the last 5000 years starting with the discoveries made at Burzhama,” he said.
The Minister urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly school children, to visit the SPS museum and cherish the company of rare artifacts and manuscripts in order to rediscover the rich history of J&K and reconnect with their roots.
“I particularly ask the school children to come and see the artifacts from Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir in order to acquaint themselves with their rich history of cultural exchanges which goes back 5000 years in time,” Akhtar said. 
Meanwhile, the Minister reviewed the process of preservation of archives kept at Old Secretariat building. Akhtar directed the officials to complete the process at the earliest while ensuring that the rare manuscripts do not suffer any damage. He also expressed displeasure over the potential fire hazards in and around the building and ordered their removal at the earliest.
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Hello Jammu News at 6:33:00 PM 0

Takes stock of development works; Reviews Ramadan arrangements at Jamia Masjid, Hazratbal, other shrines
SRINAGAR, MAY 16: Following up on the commitments made by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Minister of Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today undertook an extensive tour of Shahr-e-Khaas here to personally review the progress of development works in Srinagar’s Old City areas. 
The Minister also visited the historic Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta and various revered shrines in the Old City to review the arrangements for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
“Under the leadership of Mehbooba Mufti, the government is committed to restore the glory of this historic city. Our engineers have made small beginning for landscaping of some Old City areas which now needs to be expanded to other localities,” Akhtar said, while ordering the civil administration to carry out quick repairs of city roads, including Syed Mirakshah and Nallamar roads. He also asked the administration to complete the widening of Khanyar-Nowhatta road by the end of this year while ensuring rehabilitation of displaced locals and traders.
Akhtar said the development of Srinagar city on modern lines is top priority for the state government, and the civil and police administration must ensure proper sanitation, hassle-free traffic movement and assured electricity supply to all the prominent places of worship and shrines in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley so that the people, who offer prayers there during the holy month of Ramadan, don’t face any inconvenience.
Accompanied by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan, IGP Kashmir, S P Pani, IGP Traffic, Basant Rath, District Development Commissioner Srinagar, Syed Abid Rasheed and other senior officers of civil and police administration, and hundreds of enthusiastic locals, the Works Minister toured some prominent places of worship in downtown city including Jamia Masjid, the shrines of Dastgeersaheb and Naqashbandsaheb, and Asar-e-Sharief Dargah Hazratbal.
At Jamia Masjid, the Minister asked the district administration to make permanent arrangements for vendors who hold their trade inside the park of the mosque which sometimes causes inconvenience to worshippers.
“The Divisional Commissioner will hold separate meeting with the traders and members of the Auqaf Committee Jamia Masjid to find a permanent solution to this issue,” Akhtar said, adding that the pace of construction of ‘Community Centre’ in the vicinity of Jamia Masjid must be sped up and the project should be handed over to the people soon.   
While touring Naqashband sahib shrine, the Minister was apprised by locals about the issues of sanitation and erratic electricity supply to the shrine. Akhtar said the government is committed to providing 24x7 electricity supply and asked the PDD to avoid power cuts.
“Lighting arrangements are being augmented at places of worship across Kashmir and most defunct lights have been replaced to avoid any hassles to worshippers during the holy month of Ramzan,” the Minister said.
The Minister also reviewed the developmental works going on at the shrine of Dastgeersaheb where he was apprised about a court case which has stalled construction of the shrine’s Noor Khana, “Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar must pursue the case in court vigorously and have the stay on the construction vacated soon,” he said.
The Minister also asked the Jammu Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation to speed up the last finishing touches to new electric wiring of the shrine. “J&K Police and SMC must also jointly launch a campaign to clean up Malkha Cemetery and ensure that it doesn’t become a den for unscrupulous elements,” he said.
At Dargah Hazratbal, the Minister reviewed the construction of new washroom block and multi-level parking. He also took stock of special arrangements being made for devotees at the shrine during the holy month of Ramadan. 
During the tour, Inspector General of Traffic Basant Rath said they have made elaborate plans for peak hour rush, especially on Fridays, Shabe-e-Qadr and Eid following the holy month of Ramadan. “Special traffic plan has been formulated for uninterrupted traffic to Jamia Masjid and Dargah Hazratbal,” Rath said.
SMC Commissioner, Riyaz Ahmad and heads of various Engineering departments also accompanied the Minister.
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Hello Jammu News at 6:02:00 PM 0

Power Minister stresses on early completion of works, progress be monitored on daily basis  
SRINAGAR, MAY 12: Minister for Power, Sunil Sharma along with Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhter and Minister of State for Power, Asiea Naqash, today visited Ganderbal to review the progress of ongoing works at the Alasteng Grid Station.
MLA Ganderbal Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar was also present during the visit.
Commissioner Secretary PDD, Hirdesh Kumar, Development Commissioner Power, Asgar Ali, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Piyush Singhla, Chief Engineer (S&O) Kashmir, Murtaza Mattoo, Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineers and other concerned officers of PDD were present on the occasion.
During the visit, Chief Engineer Kashmir and other concerned officers briefed the Ministers about the status of the ongoing works at the grid station and informed that the tendering process for majority of works have been finalized and soon the works will be initiated.
The Ministers also sought the details of the works need to be carried out at the Grid Station with their present status. It was stressed that the civil works needs to be completed soon but other related works should also be taken up simultaneously for the early completion of the works at the Grid Station.
The concerned officers were asked to fix the weekly targets and to prepare a progress chart accordingly for better monitoring of the works. "The progress on the works should be monitored on daily basis and will personally visit the site once in a month to review the status of the works, besides, the Commissioner Secretary PDD and Development Commissioner Power will also take weekly and fortnightly meetings with the concerned engineers to ensure smooth progress in the project", the Minister added.
Sunil Sharma asked the Chief Engineer to ensure that the transformers and other important equipment already procured are in running condition and if required, to be serviced properly.
Status of erection of towers for transmission lines were also discussed briefly and Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal was asked to complete the land acquisition process for the remaining towers.
Asking the engineers to put in extra efforts for early commissioning of this important Grid Station, Sunil Sharma said that works need to be taken up in double shift with effective monitoring mechanism put in place.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that with the commissioning of Alasteng Grid Station, the power scenario in Kashmir would improve significantly.
"Government is very keen for the early commissioning of this Grid Station and works are going in full swing at the site. Instructions have been passed to the concerned officers of Power department to ensure resolving all issues hampering progress in the project", Sunil Sharma said.
Minister for Public Works, Naeem Akhter said that after completion of works, this grid station would reduce the load on the two existing power grids and help in improving power supply in the valley. Now there is only need to expedite the works and complete them at the earliest, he added.
Asiea Naqash while directing the officers asked for speeding up all related works and complete the same for commissioning of station without wasting more time. She also stressed on laying focused attention to take up the works on transmission lines as same are important for supplying power from this station to other areas of the valley including Ladakh region.
On the occasion, MLA Ganderbal also take up the issue of establishment of transformer workshop in the area. The Minister assured the legislator that the issue will be resolved on priority.
Later, the Minister along with Asiea Naqash also visited Grid Station at Cheshmashahi in Srinagar. The concerned officers briefed the Ministers about the functioning of Grid Station and also informed about the areas getting power supply from this station.
Augmentation plan for the Cheshmashahi Grid Station was also discussed. The Minister was informed that order for procurement of new transformers has been placed and the department will receive the transformers within next few months.
The Minister appreciated the efforts of the concerned officers and staff for maintaining cleanliness at the Grid Station.
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Hello Jammu News at 5:59:00 PM 0


‘Minister lays foundation of 3.75 km Pandach-Beehama four-lane road’
GANDERBAL, MAY 12: Minister for Public Works and Culture, Naeem Akhtar, today said Jammu and Kashmir has set new records in connectivity projects by surpassing the target under Central Road Fund (CRF) and other schemes meant for road expansion in the state.
“Good roads not only connect people and places, but they also bring prosperity. Last year, J&K exceeded the targets set under various centrally sponsored schemes for upgrading old roads and building new ones. This has brought us into a position where we can seek additional funds from the Centre to give a boost to our developmental agenda,” Akhtar said.
The Minister made these remarks while laying the foundation stone for four-laning of 3.75 km Pandach-Beehama road in Ganderbal, part of Srinagar-Ladakh national highway which will be developed under CRF. He said the project, a long-pending demand of people in the area, will be completed soon.
Akhtar said the state government is contemplating to take up this year the construction of Wayil bridge, a crucial project which connects Ganderbal with Sonamarg and Ladakh. Presently, a single-lane bailey-bridge has been set up as a temporary arrangement which results in traffic snarls.
The Works Minister said the Shalbug bridge, another important project for connecting Ganderbal with the capital Srinagar city, will be taken up under Central Road Fund this year on the demand of people, which will address connectivity concerns in the district.
“The works department did exceptional work last year which has raised the expectations of the people. Road networks have undergone significant changes since our government came into office and people are looking forward to the continuation of your good work,” he said, while lauding the officers of R&B department for keeping pace with people’s expectations.
The Minister said the state government will take up record length of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojna this year in Jammu and Kashmir which will help in socio-economic uplift of people living in far flung areas of the state. 
The foundation-stone laying ceremony was also attended by Member of Legislative Assembly, Ishfaq Jabbar, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Piyush Singla, Chief Engineer R&B Department Kashmir, Nissar Ahmad Bhat, SSP Ganderbal, Fayaz Ahmad and other senior officers of civil and police administration of Ganderbal district.
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Hello Jammu News at 6:46:00 PM 0

SRINAGAR, MAY 10: Minister for Public Works & Culture, Naeem Akhtar today took stock of the modalities for conservation and reuse proposal of the old SPS Museum building.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Culture, M Saleem Sheeshgar, Convener INTACH M Saleem Beg, Director Information, Muneer-ul-Islam, Director Tourism, Mehmood A Shah, Assistant Director SPS Museum, Mushtaq A Beg and others officers.
Akhtar, on the occasion, expressed serious concern at the dilapidated condition of the century-old heritage SPS building housing museum, and ordered for initiating of immediate restoration works on it to return its erstwhile glory. 
He directed the concerned authorities to primarily start works on the structural retrofit to strengthen the building for which he assured them of sanctioning Rs 50 lakh rupees in phase one this financial year and added that for other works the funds will be sanctioned accordingly.
As per 2016 assessment report prepared by INTACH, the restoration works on the building requires an estimated Rs 1.023 crore that includes both strengthening of building and internal works like framing galleries and decorative part.
The Minister added that the services of best works agency be hired for this project as restoration works on this museum requires the services of best workmanship so that its old grandeur is maintained.
He asked them to formulate the reuse proposal for the building as a ‘city museum’ for educational purposes that displays and celebrates the essence of the Srinagar city so that students and the youth can benefit from the knowledge of rich heritage.
Meanwhile, INTACH Senior Conservation Architect Saima Iqbal gave a presentation on the occasion to apprise the Minister regarding the conservation and reuse proposal for the old SPS Museum building that highlighted the stabilizing of structure and components of restoration.
Later, the Works Minister also took stock of the ongoing works at Media Complex, Srinagar including the Audio-Visual Complex and Reference Library-cum-Reading Room.
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