Srinagar, Oct 10, KNT: Daily commuters and drivers plying through Mehjoor Nagar in Srinagar’s uptown have expressed strong resentment over the unabated encroachment of the main road by local shopkeepers, accusing authorities of turning a blind eye to the worsening traffic chaos in the area.
The drivers said that shopkeepers have virtually converted a large stretch of the busy road into an open marketplace, spreading their merchandise in the middle of the carriageway and leaving little space for vehicles to pass. “Every day we get stuck here for long durations because the road has been completely taken over by shopkeepers. They have put up vegetable stalls and racks right on the road,” one of the drivers told the news agency Kashmir News Trust.
They questioned the silence of concerned authorities and asked, “Whose baby is it to ensure hassle-free traffic movement on this road?”
The drivers said they had even approached the local Masjid Committee seeking its intervention, but the committee members reportedly refused to persuade the shopkeepers. “The committee seems reluctant, while the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) not only fails to act but appears to be encouraging these violators by ignoring them,” another driver said.
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They added that although police had once cleared the road of encroachments, the shopkeepers reoccupied the space within days. “This road is vital and serves as an alternate route for vehicles to bypass the congested Ram Bagh stretch. Yet, it remains blocked most of the time,” they said.
The drivers appealed to the district administration and SMC to take immediate and strict action against the encroachers, clear the road for smooth vehicular movement, and impose heavy fines on repeat violators. [KNT]
