Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 6: After the failure of State Government to resolve the dispute over rehabilitation of the shopkeepers, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the funding agency for the Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover in Srinagar is meeting the shopkeepers association tomorrow to decide their rehabilitation and fate of the flyover.
The shopkeepers alleged that neither Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) nor Government have informed them about the scheduled visit of ADB team to assess the ground situation for their rehabilitation. “We heard that ADB team is here; we wrote an email to them, then they invited us for a meeting to listen to our demands,” said Abdul Rouf, one of the shopkeepers.
Rauf said that the shopkeepers association would demand either proper rehabilitation at a good site or financial compensation as per present market value of their shops. “We will not shift our shops to the newly constructed shopping complex, as it looks like a store,” he said.
Top officials of Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) said that they are hopeful to start work on the Rs 352-crore project, as the shopkeepers of the area and ADB would come up with a proper solution. “We are waiting for the result of meeting between ADB team and shopkeepers and hope there will be nod from ADB to start its further work,” a top official of ERA said.
Earlier, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Shailendra Kumar said that ADB team will decide whether to start work on proposed project or not. “ADB team is here to see the rehabilitation part of the project, if they are satisfied, they will give nod for its construction work and if they are not satisfied for rehabilitation of shopkeepers, they will stop their funds to the project,” Div Com said.
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