Srinagar, Feb 12: Chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board and Minister of State, Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of a women’s Sabaat and inaugurated newly constructed kiosks at the Hazrat Makhdoom Sahib (RA) shrine in Srinagar.
Dr Andrabi visited the shrine, offered prayers and prayed for peace and welfare of the people. She was accompanied by Executive Magistrate Ishtiyaq Mohiuddin, Imam Shabir Ahmad, officials of the Waqf Board and members of civil society.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Andrabi said several construction and facilitation initiatives had been undertaken at the shrine over the past three years, bringing visible improvements to the premises. She said the new Sabaat for women was a necessary facility and would be designed to blend with the aesthetic and spiritual ambience of the shrine. She added that the project was expected to be completed within the next few months.
Later, she inaugurated newly built kiosks installed along the main staircase of the shrine complex. The kiosks, constructed by the Waqf Board, replace older temporary structures and are aimed at providing safer and more organised spaces for small vendors while improving the overall appearance of the entrance.
Visitors and local stakeholders welcomed the initiatives and appreciated the infrastructural upgrades at the shrine. On her arrival, Dr Andrabi was received by local residents, shrine visitors, Waqf Board officials and religious functionaries.
