SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said his government is committed to an urban development approach that is holistic and sustainable, enhancing the quality of life for all urban residents of the union territory.
Abdullah’s statement came during a meeting to review the works of the Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD).
The review meeting, held at the Civil Secretariat here, evaluated the department’s progress, identifying challenges, and setting priorities for urban development projects, an official spokesperson said.
Commissioner Secretary Mandeep Kaur started the meeting with a presentation, outlining the functioning of H&UDD and its affiliated organisations.
Addressing the attendees, the chief minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to a holistic and sustainable urban development approach, aiming for enhanced quality of life for all urban residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
He also emphasised the importance of strengthening town planning efforts to address urban growth effectively.
“The effectiveness of our town planning will determine the future livability of our cities,” Abdullah said, calling for resilient urban planning to meet the needs of the growing population.
The meeting was attended by Advisor to Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and other senior officers, the spokesperson said in the statement.
Discussions at the meeting spanned across central funding for various schemes and departmental needs, besides key issues including policy gaps, outdated master plans and overlapping mandates of development authorities, he said.
The discussions also focused on organisation-specific issues, policy reform initiatives, and updates on projects implemented by Jammu Smart City Limited and Srinagar Smart City Limited, the spokesperson said.
The chief minister reviewed project proposals and their current status, urging prompt action and accountability to drive visible progress.
Regarding the e-bus project under FAME-II and the PM e-bus Sewa scheme, Abdullah directed an increase in e-bus frequency on city routes and instructed that the routes be expanded to include key hospitals.
“Citizens need reliable and accessible transport options. Connecting e-buses to hospitals and high-demand areas is essential for a responsive urban transport network,” he stated.
The meeting also reviewed major urban development schemes such as CITIIS 2.0, AMRUT 2.0, PMAY (Urban), the National Urban Livelihood Mission, and the National Clean Air Programme. Abdullah encouraged the department to address bottlenecks in project implementation. (PTI)