Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 6: To protest Government’s decision of shifting General Bus Stand Batamaloo to Parimpora on city outskirts, transporters today went on strike and did not ply their buses in city and on inter-district routes, resulting in massive inconvenience to the commuters.
The strike was called by Kashmir Transporters Welfare Association (KTWA) – an apex body of Valley transporters – to protest Government’s decision of shifting the General Bus Stand Batamaloo to Parimpora. All the passenger buses to and fro Batamaloo did not ply today on any inter-district route. The mini-buses on city routes also remained grounded. However, small passenger cabs and auto-rickshaws on all routes were plying normally.
The transporters were demanding that shifting of General Bus Stand should be cancelled for their larger benefit and convenience of commuters. They accused Government of snatching their livelihood. “We have been fighting from many years to stop Government from shifting this General Bus Stand with which lots of areas, hospital, college and courts are attached but Government is unmoved and it has decided to shift to Parimpora,” they said.
“But we won’t shift. Our children are attached to this stand. We have never sought anything from the Government. We have never demanded any job because our children are attached to this Bus Stand,” they said. The shopkeepers of Batamaloo area are also opposing the shifting of Bus Stand to Parimpora as they argue that their business would be severely hit.
Meanwhile, in order to rehabilitate the shopkeepers and other trading persons who will be affected by shifting of General Bus Stand Batamaloo to Parimpora area, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan said that the Government is preparing a comprehensive rehabilitation plan, an official spokesman said.
Divisional Commissioner said under the rehabilitation plan, all affected shopkeepers and other persons whose trading activity may suffer due to the shifting of General Bus Stand Batamaloo to Parimpora will be properly rehabilitated so that their livelihood is not suffered.
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