CCIK flags ‘deteriorating cleanliness, road conditions’ in Srinagar

Srinagar, August 7: The Chamber of Commerce & Industries Kashmir (CCIK) has raised concerns over the deteriorating maintenance and cleanliness of Srinagar city, particularly the poor condition of several roads, during a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

A CCIK delegation led by its office-bearers called on the Lieutenant Governor and submitted a memorandum highlighting a range of concerns relating to trade, industry, tourism, education and the broader business environment in Jammu & Kashmir.

The delegation comprised CCIK Advisor Showkat Chaudhary, Secretary General Adnan Shah, Joint Secretary Aatif Khan, Chief Coordinator Ashiq Bhat and Convenor Umar Jan Wani.

According to CCIK, the delegation drew attention to the deteriorating upkeep of Srinagar, including problems related to cleanliness, maintenance and roads in poor condition. It stressed that the state of civic infrastructure has implications not only for residents but also for tourism, business activity and the overall image of the city.

The chamber also raised concerns over the process of industrial land allotment by the Department of Industries & Commerce, saying entrepreneurs and investors continue to face difficulties in accessing land for setting up industrial units.

The Lieutenant Governor, according to CCIK, assured the delegation that the matter would be addressed and said necessary directions had already been issued to the concerned departments to resolve the issue and facilitate industrial growth.

The delegation also raised the issue of CID verification of managing committee members of private schools, arguing that the existing procedure was creating difficulties for educational institutions.

Sinha assured the delegation that the matter would be examined sympathetically and that details would be sought from the concerned departments before appropriate action was taken.

The memorandum also included recommendations concerning industrial development, ease of doing business, MSME support, tourism promotion, infrastructure, access to credit, skill development, solar and electric-vehicle infrastructure, delayed payments to MSMEs and policy facilitation.

CCIK said the Lieutenant Governor listened to the issues raised by the delegation and assured them that the concerns would be examined and addressed in consultation with the relevant departments.

The chamber later expressed satisfaction with the response, saying it hoped the assurances given during the meeting would translate into timely action on the ground.

CCIK reiterated its commitment to working with the administration to promote trade, industry, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development across Jammu & Kashmir.