Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 1: As the Government has failed to comply its order passed 17 years ago, the High Court has sought compliance report from the authorities providing for parking space in order to mitigate the messy traffic, inconvenience and suffering of the public on account of non availability of parking in the area of Residency Road Srinagar.
Hearing an application filed by the Shopkeepers Association of Residency Road and Bund through its president seeking compliance of Government order passed in the year 2002 providing for resumption of an area of 16000 square feet along side main Residency Road Srinagar out of land measuring 14 Kanals and 9 Marlas Government land situated at Estate Kothibagh and Estate Maisuma which is under the occupation of State Bank of India, Residency Road, Srinagar, the High Court sought compliance of the said order from the authorities.
It was in the year 2002 the Government had directed for resumption of an area of 16000 Sft out of 14 Kanals and 9 Marlas and its transfer to the SDA for development of a general parking place and raising of appropriate wall of appropriate height to segregate parking place.
More than 17 years have lapsed and till date the said Government order has not been complied with and the problem of unregulated traffic in the area continues there having been even noticed by the Court.
Applicant Association through its counsel submitted before the Division Bench that had the Government order been complied with, the problem of roadside parking and in the process messy traffic scenario in the area in particular would have been avoided.
The Division Bench after informed by the Counsel that the order of Government has not been complied with for the last more than 17 years, expressed its displeasure over the functioning of the authorities and observed to Advocate General who incidentally was present in the court to examine the law on the issue of traffic mess which has become an usual routine in the Valley.
Court further observed that there is no action plan in place by the Government so that the menace of traffic jams would have been controlled. “No road widening plan is undertaken by the authorities. Roads have become garages and the authorities are watching all this as a mute spectator”, the DB observed to AG and asked him to make some exercise on bringing a Legislature on the issue as is presently existing in other States of the country.
The application has been filed by the Association after the High Court on December 12 directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to ensure that no vehicle is parked on roadside even at the points designated by SMC and SDA.
Applicants have given the example of Jammu division to court which the applicants submitted is highly regulated in the commercial hub areas like Residency Road, Ragunath Bazar, Gandhi Nagar etc. because of the fact that same is being honestly, fairly and reasonable by the concerned authorities.
The Association allegad that it was on account of failure of the concerned authorities to regular roadside parking particularly in the area of Residency Road Srinagar, which has the effect of causing substantial loss and great prejudice to the Association’s Business of the area and causes highest magnitude of inconvenience to the consumers and customers who intend to make purchases in the said famous area.
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