Associated News Bureau

Dr Basharat Qayoom Takes Charge as SMC Commissioner, SSCL CEO

SRINAGAR, October 12: Dr Basharat Qayoom, IAS, on Monday assumed charge as Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL), with a focus on strengthening civic services and promoting citizen-centric urban governance. He succeeds Faz Lul Haseeb, IAS, in both roles. A brief function was held at the SMC headquarters to welcome the newly appointed Commissioner and CEO. Senior officers and officials of SMC and SSCL welcomed Dr Qayoom and assured him of their cooperation in improving municipal administration and ensuring efficient, accessible and responsive public services. Addressing officers and officials, Dr Qayoom reiterated the importance of a “Citizen First” approach, emphasising that public needs and aspirations must remain at the centre of the Corporation’s policies, programmes and service delivery mechanisms. He stressed the need for accountable administration, effective coordination among departments and the timely resolution of public grievances to address the day-to-day civic concerns of Srinagar residents. Dr Qayoom also highlighted the importance of strengthening grievance redressal mechanisms, improving essential municipal services and ensuring a prompt response to citizens’ complaints and feedback. He called for a coordinated and forward-looking approach to urban development, with the objective of making Srinagar a cleaner, more sustainable and liveable city. The newly appointed Commissioner and CEO brings extensive administrative experience and a commitment to public service. His appointment is expected to provide further impetus to ongoing urban development programmes, Smart City initiatives and efforts to improve the efficiency, accessibility and accountability of municipal services. Going forward, the focus will remain on strengthening civic infrastructure, improving sanitation and essential municipal amenities, promoting sustainable urban planning and ensuring the timely execution of development projects. Greater emphasis will also be placed on public participation, citizen engagement and effective grievance redressal. The broader objective is to strengthen an inclusive, responsive and citizen-friendly municipal administration while ensuring that the benefits of urban development translate into improved civic amenities, better public services and an enhanced quality of life for the people of Srinagar. ANB