AIMIM's Imtiaz Jaleel unhappy over speed of smart city project in Srinagar

Srinagar: AIMIM MP Syed Imtiaz Jaleel, who is part of a visiting parliamentary panel, on Saturday (August 21) expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of developmental works here under the smart city project.

“The amount of work that ought to have been done under the smart city project has not been done. We were shown small toilets and drainage works. Crores of rupees have been spent in other cities under the smart city project, but why is it not spent here,” Jaleel told reporters here.

Jaleel is part of the Standing Committee on Urban Development which visited the under-construction multi-layer parking facility at Press Enclave here.

He said the BJP is "in full control" of the Union territory and they cannot complain.

“Now, you have no way to complain as all the control is in your hands and if you want to, you can do it. But, you do not want to do it as you want to destroy Kashmir,” he said, lashing out at the saffron party.

The committee also visited the famous Dal Lake here and the MP from Aurangabad (Maharashtra) said the condition of the water body was regrettable.

“Dal Lake has the same meaning for Kashmir and Srinagar, as Taj Mahal does for Agra. Seeing the condition of Dal Lake is regrettable. It is not rocket science to understand how the lake can be cleaned,” he said.

Jaleel said the livelihood of about 5,000 people depends on Shikaras in the Dal Lake, but they have not received any help from the government.

“We have asked them to include the shikaras under the smart city project to help them,” he said.

(With agency inputs)