#SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha along with Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde and Maharashtra’s Cultural Affairs Minister  Sudhir Mungantiwar unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Kupwara, today.

In his address, the Lt Governor congratulated the ‘Amhi Punekar’ and 41 Rashtriya Rifles of Indian Army for historic initiative.

He said the statue of Great Shivaji will be a source of inspiration for people and the bravehearts of the army.

Paying homage to the great warrior and founder of Swarajya, the Lt Governor said, Shivaji was a born leader, who scripted a new history of India through his mesmerizing victory against the enemy.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was also fountainhead of high standards of morality, right conduct and respecter of all religions and sects. Youth must follow his ideas and ideals and selflessly serve the poor and weaker sections of society and contribute to nation-building, he added.

By unleashing his military genius and moral force, Shivaji mobilized millions of Indians and achieved sovereignty for Maratha empire. His universal and eternal values continue to be relevant today and guiding us on the path of social equality and peaceful co-existence, the Lt Governor said.

He further called for celebrating the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj festival in Kupwara on 7th of November every year.

Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister of Maharashtra said, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is an inspiration for every Indian.

Maharashtra has a great tradition of sacrifice and bravery. It is indeed commendable that this statue is being erected at Kupwara in the same year as the 350th anniversary of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji, he said.

Sudhir Mungantiwar, Cultural Affairs Minister Maharashtra, speaking on the occasion paid homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He said the unveiling of Shivaji’s statue is the proudest moment of his life.

Major General Girish Kalia, GOC, Vajr Division presented the National Flags handmade by women of Kupwara to the dignitaries.

Earlier, the Lt Governor paid tributes to the  bravehearts of Indian Army and laid wreath at Vajr War Memorial, HQ 28 Infantry Division in Kupwara.

Kavinder Gupta, former Deputy Chief Minister of J&K; Major General Girish Kalia, GOC, Vajr Division; Vivek Gupta,  DIG NKR Range; Ayushi Sudan, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara; Abhayraj Shirole, Founder Amhi Punekar and senior officers of Army, civil and police administration were present at the ceremony.

#SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor #Manoj Sinha launched the Srinagar Smart City’s 100 Electric Buses under Srinagar Electric Bus Project and flagged off a fleet of 75 E-Buses at Nishat Bus Terminal, today.

E-buses will be plying on 15 intra-city routes and 2 inter-city routes and will be running a minimum of 200 KM per day from 8 AM to 8 PM.

In his address, the Lt Governor congratulated the Srinagar Smart City Limited and the residents of Srinagar and adjoining districts on the occasion.

“Smart mobility to optimize transportation services for harmonious balance with ecology is our top priority. The addition of 100 e-buses is a big leap to achieve Carbon Neutrality as per the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the Lt Governor said.

He said the Srinagar Smart City Limited is translating ‘modal shift’ concept into reality through integrated approach to provide smooth transportation to people and contributing in sustainability of society.

The Lt Governor said the e-buses dedicated to the people today will ensure that daily commuters and office goers have access to reliable, affordable, sustainable and safe public transport system for Srinagar city and the connected districts.

He directed the officials to ensure the dedicated Charging stations for the e-buses remain functional round the year.

At the launch ceremony, the Lt Governor expressed gratitude to the Central Government for the support and assistance in improving the urban transport in the UT. Soon the dream of Metro Rail in Srinagar and Jammu will become a reality, he said.

The e-buses are equipped with Universal Access and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system, on-board vehicle tracking system, CCTV and emergency stop facility.

A dedicated Mobile app and online ticket payment facility have been developed for the convenience of the passengers. All the buses are integrated with Srinagar Smart City’s Integrated Command & Control Centre.

A bus depot is coming up at Pantha Chowk and charging sub-stations have been developed for smooth operation of e-buses.