- Div Com reviews action plan
SRINAGAR: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan today convened a meeting to review the action plan to start public water transport in Jhelum River and Dal Lake. Additional Commissioner Kashmir, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Director Tourism, Chief Engineers of Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) & PHE, Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Traffic Advisor for Traffic Planning & Designing, Members of House boat & Shikara unions were also present in the meeting.
Div Com said that Chief Minister has a futuristic vision to develop water transport in the city for which two water channels were earmarked namely River Jhelum and Dal Lake. The action plan is prepared as per the water transport standards prevalent in European countries. Div Com directed tourism department in collaboration with I&FC department to start the one month free trial run of public water transport in the River Jhelum from July 12, 2017 and in Dal Lake from July 17, 2017.
I&FC department was directed to maintain daily record of traffic to ascertain numbers of passengers, speed limit in both downstream & upstream travel along with the time taken to complete the journey to various locations. Div Com further said that there is a dire need to revive the water transport to give fillip to the tourism industry besides extending means of transport to general masses and generating employment opportunities for the youth.