Altaf Hamid Rao,
Kashmiri expatriate launches civic projects in Mirpur (AJK),
MIRPUR (AJK) : An overseas Kashmiri entrepreneur has set a precedence of serving his ancestral city of Mirpur without any vested interest launching investment on no-loss and no-profit basis with prime spirit to beautify his native town through various projects of latest civic amenities including the traffic signal lights and overhead bridges for pedestrians at various busiest locations and main roads in the city with the coordination and support of the district administration and Mirpur Development Authority (MDA).
First phase of the project, under private-public partnership, of installation of the latest traffic signal lights coupled with giant gates carrying billboards at city’s busiest Quaid-e-Azam Chowk, Azad Megamart Chowk and Bankhurma Road chowk has been complete, giving an exceptionally beautiful look being a modern and developed city like that of any developed nation.
The UK and UAE-based Kashmiri expatriate – the author and sponsor of the project Ajman Hussain launched the phased projects few months ago. Two of the six traffic signal projects have so far been completed under the self-help program conceived and executed by him with no loss and no profit basis.
Quoting the management of the projects our special AJK correspondent Altaf Hamid Rao reports from Mirpur that the earnings of the publicity through the mega billboards and hoardings will also be spent for the identical civic projects to be launched in next phases of the projects.
While appreciating the phased traffic signals installation project, besides the common man, the genius class in the city have described the move best way to enhance the beauty of the city of Mirpur, whom over a million of natives are serving in today’s Great Britain besides in middle-east and far-east countries since over last six decades.
They have appreciated the high spirit of the Kashmiri expatriate Ajmal Hussain, which he have to translate the dream of fully developed Mirpur city into a reality through various development projects comprising the latest civic amenities at par with the developed countries the world over.
It may be recalled that Kashmiri expatriate-owned private entrepreneur and Mirpur Development Authority [MDA] had signed memorandum of understanding about nine months ago.
The advent of the above project under private public partnership in the city a major breakthrough for the speedy progress of the city for providing latest amenities of life to the inmates of Mirpur and rest of the district, said Attique ul Amin Khan Director of a Mirpur-based branch of a chained school’s network.
It may be mentioned here because of the paucity of funds with the government civic functionaries including MDA and the Municipal Corporation, such projects of public interests were shelved. It is still hope that with the advent of the era of private-public projects, Mirpur will emerge as the model city soon.
The civic projects will help in to regulate the increased vehicular traffic besides facilitating the pedestrians with the means for the safe movement in the busiest central roads especially during the peak hours of public, they said.
The citizens have further hoped that the projects would leave positive impacts on the overall development of the city besides raising interest for launching investments by the overseas Kashmiris in similar mass public welfare projects in their ancestral district of Mirpur in the future.
Under the MoU, the MDA seized and possessed the specified land where six (6) traffic Signals and three (3) pedestrian crossing bridges, to be built and installed at the above sites.
The MDA have already agreed, under the MoU, to lease the aforesaid premises to the lesser for the purposes of management and exclusive marketing rights with effect from the date of signing this agreement on the terms and conditions, he added