Move ridiculed, people seek end to parking woes
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 3: In the name of beautification of the city under the Srinagar Smart City Project, the administration today blocked the entire stretch of a road at Regal in city centre Lal Chowk in the name of the city’s beautification which has resulted in immense difficulties to the commuters.
The area is already prone to traffic jams and with the painting of the road stretch and installation of artefacts in the middle of it, the people said that the move is going to result in further congestion and will also lead to further traffic jams in the area.
During the day also, the commuters had to drive on the wrong side which caused much of a commotion. The stretch being the exit point from the inner side towards the Maulana Azad Road experiences a good rush of vehicles and with this particular point being blocked, the traffic situation in the area is going to take a further hit.
The people have vehemently criticised the move of the administration and said instead of eating up already existing roads, the roads that are in bad shape in several areas of the city should have been repaired, macadamized.
Earlier, a similar sort of work was carried out opposite to the General Post Office, Srinagar near Sher-e-Kashmir Park and ended up occupying the makeshift parking space. The move received a similar sort of response from the public, however, at the Regal Chowk, the entire stretch of the road has been blocked for vehicular movement.
“We are already facing several issues, particularly the issue of parking; even though, a multi-level parking is ready, but awaits inauguration, opening that up instead, letting the people park their vehicles, would have brought about a great change,” a shopkeeper in the city centre said.
Others criticised the administration over the dilapidated condition of roads in Srinagar and said that rather than painting and beautifying the city centre, “those roads should have been macadamized rather than carrying out such a useless activity,” said a pedestrian, Basharat Ahmad.
It is pertinent to mention here, that under the Srinagar Smart City Project in collaboration with IUST the process of beatification of the city spaces is being carried out, however, so far the move has only invited criticism from the general public.
Another passer-by said that these are finishing touches that are meant to be carried out at the end after the major works are executed. “It is Sunday so there is no major traffic rush, come Monday, the blockade is going to create hell-of-a-mess,” he said.
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