Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the Widening and Four Laning of Boulevard Road from Nehru Park to Kral Sangri, marking a major milestone in the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Srinagar’s scenic and tourism infrastructure.
The prestigious project, being executed by the Public Works (R&B) Department at an estimated cost of Rs. 19.94 crore, aims to improve road connectivity along the Kashmir’s most iconic lakefront stretch.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Khanyar Ali Mohammad Sagar, MLA Hazratbal Salman Ali Sagar, MLA Zadibal Tanveer Sadiq, MLA Chanapora Mushtaq Guroo, Chief Engineer R&B, and other senior officers and officials were present on the occasion.
Speaking at the event, the CM said the widening of the Boulevard stretch will not only decongest traffic but also enhance the aesthetic and tourism value of the Dal Lake precincts.
“Travelling on Boulevard Road has become tortuous—it takes hours to reach one’s destination,” the Chief Minister said, adding that his government is planning a series of projects to decongest Srinagar’s road network and provide much-needed relief to residents and tourists alike.
The CM said that for over a decade, Srinagar has not been given due attention, but that “all wrongs will now be corrected and undone under our government.”
He emphasized that this was not limited to Srinagar alone, adding: “Even Jammu city has not its due. The neglect faced by both cities in the past ten years will be set right by my government. We do not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, or region.”
He cited the restoration of the Darbar Move tradition, originally introduced by the Dogra rulers of Jammu, as evidence of his government’s commitment to unity and equality across regions.
The CM said he restored the Darbar Move after feeling that Jammu had been treated unfairly.
“When I saw that injustice had been done to Jammu city, I restored the Darbar Move practice. If we were to make decisions based on religion or elections, I didn’t get a single MLA from Jammu city, yet I opened the office there again, because injustice had been done to Jammu,” he said.
“What compelled the closure of the Darbar Move? It was not our legacy. This system existed long before us. We revived it to correct injustice, and we will continue to do what is right,” he said.
Touching upon urban housing challenges, the Chief Minister said his government is seriously planning for decongestion and vertical housing solutions in Srinagar.
“Land in Srinagar is shrinking, and we must now go vertical. Sustainable housing and city planning are top priorities for us,” he stated.
The CM said despite repeated assurances, no major flood-mitigation measures had been taken after the devastating 2014 deluge. “Tell us what immediate steps were taken to protect Srinagar from floods after 2014? What project was built? Where did the money we secured from the World Bank go”.
He sought details of dredging works in the River Jhelum and Flood Spill Channel, and questioned who was responsible for handling the funds.
“Who embezzled money meant for the dredging of Jhelum and Wular projects?” he asked, adding that the PDP and BJP-led government must be held accountable.
Referring to the footbridge near Silk Factory Rajbagh, Omar said that the bridge was originally conceived as a motorable structure during his earlier tenure, but was later downgraded to a pedestrian bridge “for reasons best known to the successive regimes.”
“We now plan to make it motorable again — a two-storey bridge with one level for pedestrians and another for vehicular movement,” he announced.