Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar Apr 27: SMC Mayor, Junaid Azam Mattoo, today said all un-authorised constructions will be either sealed or brought down in Srinagar.
The Mayor told a press conference here that around 50 illegal constructions have been identified in first phase and they will be sealed or demolished. “I have given written instructions to Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Enforcement wing about illegal constructions should be sealed or demolished”, he said.
“I have started scrutiny of constructions in Srinagar city, including commercial, institutional and residential properties. I have identified around 50 structures in phase one which are completely un-authorised or have major deviations. I have given orders that every unauthorised or illegal construction in Srinagar city be sealed immediately,” the Mayor said.
He said illegal structures, irrespective of political patronage, will be sealed. “The field-level staff will be held accountable in their respective areas. We can procure equipment from outside to bring down multi-storey structures. Encroachments will also not be spared,” he said.
“I have passed some attachment order. I want people should constuct and it will give us revenue and result in development. I am not here to demolish Srinagar but want progress and development. I will recover the land that is disputed”, Mattoo said.
“The contractor whatever happened, Police came and they were boarded in trucks. I am against this, I don’t want the police State. The stick is not the solution for everything but it is a fact that we have turned this State into Police State. If there are contractors whose payment is pending and are sent to Police Stations, we are creating a hostile environment”, the Mayor said.
“An impression has been given that so much money was utilized for office in SMC. When the elections were held there was no Mayor, Deputy Mayor office and meeting hall. I made this by utilizing minimum amount. I asked the SMC to Scrutinise the bills but don’t blackmail the contractors. It is not my style that I will ask the contractors to stop their payment or sent them to Police Station. It is not my style and neither it should be style of others. There have been excesses against the contractors and if they won’t do this, can we provide them government jobs”, he said.
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