Want Assembly Elections Soon: Governor

SRINAGAR Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday said that his administration wants elections to the state Assembly to be held as early as possible.

“We want President’s rule to end as soon as possible. The final call on holding Assembly elections in the state will be taken by the Election Commission”, he told media on the sides of a flyover inauguration in the city.

Asked whether the top officials of his administration were reluctant to hand over power to an elected government, the Governor said there is nothing like that.

Jammu & Kashmir was placed under Governor’s rule in June last year after the Mehbooba Mufti-led BJP-PDP coalition government collapsed.

After the six-month-long period of Governor’s rule ended in November last year, President’s rule was imposed and is scheduled to end on June 20.

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Since it is not possible to hold Assembly elections and instal an elected government in this period, another spell of President’s rule appears inevitable.

He also apologized to the public for the inconvenience due to civilian traffic ban on the strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway,

Malik however asserted that the decision was taken in the national interest.

I apologize to the people for the inconvenience they had to face due to the highway restrictions but the ban was imposed in national interest, Malik told journalists on the sidelines of the inauguration of second phase of Jahangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover.

The government had imposed restrictions on Kashmir highway following the Pulwama attack, that killed over 40 paramilitary troopers.

He also apologized to the public for the inconvenience due to civilian traffic ban on the strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway,

Malik however asserted that the decision was taken in the national interest.

Earlier Governor dedicated the second phase of the Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover to commuters.

Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, K.K. Sharma, K. Skandan- Advisors to Governor; BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor; Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Planning, Development and Monitoring; Baseer Khan, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Junaid Azim Mattu, Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation; Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar; Raghav Langer, CEO ERA; and various senior officers were present on the occasion.

Governor congratulated the executing agencies and observed that this stretch of 1.04 km would provide much awaited relief to commuters from Rambagh to Alochi Bagh and regulate traffic at Rambagh, Solina, Alochi Bagh and on the Rambagh Bridge.

Pertinent to mention that the third and last phase of the flyover is expected to be completed by June end. Once completed, the 2.4 kilometer flyover with six access ramps at Jehangir Chowk, Gogji Bagh, Alochi Bagh, Rambagh, Natipora and Barzulla, will substantially decongest city traffic and reduce travel time between Jehangir Chowk and Rambagh from about 45 minutes to about 2.5 minutes.

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