Srinagar: In a focused effort to enhance civic services and accelerate Srinagar’s urban development, the Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Mr. Faz Lul Haseeb, IAS, convened a high-level meeting with senior officers from all departments of the Corporation.
The meeting served as a platform to review departmental performance and outline clear directions for improving service delivery, infrastructure maintenance, grievance redressal, and administrative efficiency across the city.
Attendees included heads and senior officials from key departments such as Administration, Urban and Town Planning, Enforcement and Anti-Encroachment, Civil Works, Mechanical, Drainage, Public Health, Sanitation, Solid Waste Management, Veterinary Services, Finance, Procurement, Estates, Vital Statistics, Legal Wing, and the 24×7 Control Room.
The Commissioner SMC emphasized the need for all departments to operate with punctuality, accountability, and a citizen-first approach. The following directions were issued:
• Urban & Town Planning: The Commissioner SMC instructed officers to revisit and align planning initiatives with the city’s dynamic growth requirements.
• Building Permissions: The Commissioner SMC directed the Urban Planning, Town Planning, and Enforcement Wings to streamline the building permission process, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and compliance with the Master Plan and building by-laws.
• Enforcement & Anti-Encroachment: The Commissioner SMC called for proactive field monitoring and immediate action against encroachments and illegal constructions to protect public assets and planned development.
• Civil, Mechanical & Drainage Wings: The Commissioner SMC emphasized the need to expedite repairs and upgrades of roads, drains, and dewatering stations, especially in flood-prone areas.
• Works Wing: The Commissioner SMC instructed strict monitoring and timely completion of all civil works, maintaining both pace and quality.
• Public Health, Sanitation & Solid Waste Management: The Commissioner SMC called for intensified sanitation drives, efficient garbage collection, and regular hygiene audits across all wards.
• Veterinary Services: The Commissioner SMC directed the department to scale up Animal Birth Control (ABC) operations and improve responsiveness to stray animal complaints.
• Finance & Procurement: The Commissioner SMC stressed adherence to financial discipline, timely payments, and full transparency in procurement procedures.
• Estates & Vital Statistics: The Commissioner SMC advised digitization of services and public access to records, particularly for birth and death certificates and property management.
• Legal Wing: The Commissioner SMC instructed timely legal support to departments, active follow-up on court cases, and pre-emptive legal vetting of decisions.
• Grievance Redressal: The Commissioner SMC directed all departments to strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms by ensuring prompt response to public complaints received through various channels including the SMC helpline, social media platforms, and ward-level offices. A clear escalation matrix should be maintained to ensure resolution within defined timeframes.
• 24×7 Control Room: The Commissioner SMC instructed the Control Room staff to maintain round-the-clock vigilance and ensure real-time coordination with field teams. All emergency or citizen distress calls must be recorded, monitored, and resolved promptly. The Control Room was also directed to prepare daily status reports for the Commissioner’s office.
The Commissioner SMC underscored the importance of measurable outcomes, inter-departmental synergy, and transparent service delivery. The meeting reaffirmed SMC’s mission to build a cleaner, more efficient, and responsive urban environment.
The session concluded with a collective commitment from all departments to deliver on public expectations and contribute meaningfully to Srinagar’s transformation into a modern, inclusive city.
