Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that smart city projects in Jammu and Srinagar are poised for a big leap and effective planning, efficient management of resources, fine balance between heritage, ecology and pace of development and public participation will lead towards equitable and sustainable development.
Sinha after laying the foundation stone for upgradation of Transport Nagar here, said, “the ambitious project will enable hassle-free trade movements and give a renewed boost to the economic and commercial activities in the region.”
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Once completed, the upgradation project involving road, drainage network and street lighting will reinstate the glory of Transport Nagar as a business hub. It will also provide convenience to the common citizens and the businessmen coming from outside of the Union Territory, he added.
The Lt Governor reiterated the government’s commitment to build Green, Resilient and Inclusive cities. Continuous efforts are being made to transform urban areas into accelerators of economic growth, improve quality of life and overall prosperity for people, he noted.
Centers of commercial activities are the biggest strength of our socio-economic system and their development is directly linked to prosperity of the common man and efficiency of Government machinery.
“Our focus is on translating the sustainable city’s roadmap into the roadmap for development of UT,” observed the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor also highlighted the significant role of the people in realizing the vision of developing vibrant and sustainable cities.
“Citizen participation is essential in making cities more attractive, promoting investment, mitigating the effects of climate change and generating revenue for local services,” he said and added that cities are not just geographical spaces but also centers of economic activities and cultural prosperity. The city provides opportunities to the citizens and fulfills the aspirations of its residents.
Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the cleanliness drive has become a people’s movement and its socio-cultural impact on the ground is heartening, the Lt Governor observed.
The Lt Governor appealed to the people of J&K to join the efforts to beautify their cities and also take advantage of facilities extended by the Municipal Corporations.
“We all must put united and collective efforts to make Jammu a truly smart City and also transform Jammu into the cleanest city,” he added.
The Lt Governor also highlighted the reforms introduced for the holistic development of J&K and the revolutionary steps taken to transform the Agriculture sector and business activities.
‘The era of discrimination between the regions has gone. We believe in equitable development and equal opportunity for all’, said the Lt Governor.
“It is our resolve to make J&K corruption-free. The Public Services Guarantee Act will be implemented in letter and spirit for ensuring public services to citizens,” he added.
Mayor, JMC, Rajinder Sharma speaking on the occasion congratulated the business enterprises and other stakeholders on the upgradation work of Transport Nagar.
Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary spoke on transforming Jammu City into one of the best cities of the country in terms of sanitation, amenities, and tourism development. Many new projects will be completed soon, he added.
Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Government, Housing & Urban Development Department shared the details of various projects designated for the development of Transport Nagar.
Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Additional CEO- Jammu Metropolitan Region Development Authority (JMRDA); Baldev Singh Billawaria, Deputy Mayor, JMC; Avny Lavasa, Deputy Commissioner Jammu; Rahul Yadav, Commissioner JMC; Pankaj Magotra, VC, JDA; ULB members; officers of UT administration and JMRDA; representatives of business community and transport associations and prominent citizens were present on the occasion.
