Dr Bilal Mohi-ud-Din BhatIndian Administrative Service

Srinagar district

Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar

Dr Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat, IAS · 8 January 2024 to 15 June 2025

Assuming charge as Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, 8 January 2024
Photo: The Kashmir Monitor

Dr Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat was Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, from 8 January 2024 to 15 June 2025. He succeeded Mohammad Aijaz Asad, IAS, and was succeeded by Akshay Labroo, IAS. He concurrently chaired the District Disaster Management Authority and the District Red Cross Society.

Work During the Tenure

As District Election Officer and Returning Officer for the 02-Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, he conducted the General Election 2024 (notification 19 April, counting 4 June), with 24 candidates in the fray and home voting for electors above 85 and persons with disabilities. Between August and October 2024 he conducted the Legislative Assembly Election for all eight Srinagar constituencies, with 17 postal-ballot facilitation centres and counting at SP College on 8 October.

The first Chinar Book Festival, conceived by him and hosted with the National Book Trust at SKICC from 17 to 25 August 2024, drew more than 1,000 publishers, 300 stalls and over one lakh visitors and was declared an annual calendar event. The E-Arzi applications-management portal was launched in October 2024. In January 2025 Srinagar became the first district in J&K to implement the Union SMILE scheme, with a shelter and rehabilitation home at Hawal; a substance-abuse rehabilitation centre at Sanat Nagar followed in February.

Emergency work included the Gandbal boat capsize in April 2024, flood preparedness as the Jhelum rose, the Bohri Kadal fire of June 2024, the Rainawari land-subsidence committee, and the road-safety action plan after the Tengpora accident in November 2024. He also led a 100-day tuberculosis elimination campaign, heritage-restoration reviews at Khankah-e-Naqshband, Aali Masjid and Vicharnag, the digitisation of revenue maps of 40 estates, and civil-defence preparedness in May 2025.

Documented Initiatives

  1. Digitised/restored revenue maps of 40 estates, some inactive for decades (cited at farewell) Source
  2. Civil-defence preparedness 'in May 2025' (May 2025) cited at farewell Source
  3. Attended Real Kashmir FC training in club jersey to boost young footballers Source
  4. Opened J&K's first SMILE-scheme shelter/rehabilitation home for beggars at Hawal (with NGO Prayas); Sanat Nagar substance-abuse rehab & counselling centre operationalised (Feb 2025) Source
  5. Mission YUVA action plan; 34 Mission Youth cases approved; Launch & Startup Showcase Source
  6. Launched 100-day intensified TB-elimination campaign, 'Nikshay Van'; Rs 2.31 lakh Red Cross Nikshay Poshan support; TRUENAT machine at UPHC Batamaloo Source
  7. Post-Tengpora accident road-safety action plan: tech-based live violation detection, curbing underage driving, sessions with coaching centres and schools Source
  8. Visited injured of the TRC Sunday Market grenade attack; directed all medical facilities Source
  9. Heritage revival push: Khankah-e-Naqshband (Rs 4.86 cr), Aali Masjid, Vicharnag temple restoration reviews Source
  10. Launched 'E-Arzi' applications-management portal; online grievance portal and WhatsApp chatbots cited at his farewell Source
  11. As DEO conducted the J&K Assembly election 2024 for all 8 Srinagar ACs: 17 postal-ballot facilitation centres, home voting, counting at SP College on 8 Oct Source
  12. Conceived and hosted the first Chinar Book Festival with National Book Trust at SKICC - 1,000+ publishers, 300 stalls, 1 lakh+ visitors; declared an annual calendar event Source
  13. Received first Amarnath Yatra batch at Pantha Chowk (capacity ~5,000); saw off first Hajj-2025 batch; Muharram, Eid, Navreh, Diwali arrangements Source
  14. Rushed to Bohri Kadal blaze (historic Bazar Masjid, houses, shops gutted); relief; constituted 9-member expert committee on Rainawari land subsidence (26 Jun) Source
  15. As DDMA chairman reviewed flood preparedness as Jhelum rose; again toured city during March 2025 rains Source
  16. As RO 02-Srinagar PC conducted the Lok Sabha 2024 election: 22 nominations on last day, 29 valid, 24 in fray; SVEEP events (Tulip Garden, Nukkad Natak Lal Chowk, 'Jashn-e-Jugalbandi' Polo View, mega rally); vote-from-home for 85+/PwD; counting 4 June Source
  17. Gandbal/Batwara boat capsize response: briefed media (12 of 15 rescued, 6 dead), Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia, multi-agency search Source

News Coverage from the Period

All 2,183 reports from this posting