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| Transporters vouch for soft loans from Government to start fresh innings | | Want immediate shifting of bus terminal from Pantha Chowk to Batmaloo | | Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Mar 28: At a time when various sectors of Kashmir economy are grappling with crisis following last year's devastating flood, Kashmir Motor Drivers Association (KMDA) today demanded loans at subsidized rate of interest for the transporters of Kashmir. Addressing a press conference here, KMDA Secretary General, Mohammad Yousuf Wani said that transporters are against many odds and the state government should come forward at this hour of need. Wani said that transporters can purchase new vehicles only when soft loans are provided to them."Condemning vehicles after 25 years was a blow to the industry and this rendered hundreds of vehicles out of work. At the same issuance of unlimited permits in contravention to the government order passed on 15-2-2002 was the last nail in the coffin of this industry. These steps have virtually pushed the transporters to wall and they have been left to the mercy of Almighty," said KMDA Secretary General. Wani said that if the state government approves loans at subsidized rate of interest for the transporters than they can start afresh by purchasing new vehicles. He demanded that state government should formulate a proper and convenient transport policy in order to address the issues confronted by the transporters especially those affiliated with KMDA.
The KMDA Secretary General referred to the shifting of bus terminal from Batmaloo to Pantha Chowk as 'disastrous'. He said that KMDA was operating 275to 300 trips for South Kashmir from Batmaloo per day and the same has been reduced to 5 to 10 trips per day from Pantha Chowk. "The bus terminal should be shifted from Pantha Chowk to Batmaloo or adjacent to Batmaloo at the earliest. The property at Lal Chowk which was under the custody of KMDA since 1928 should also be reclaimed so that some confidence is given to the transporters of the Kashmir valley," said Wani.
Speaking on this occasion, Chairman Kashmir Economic Alliance-Khan (KEA-K) Mohammad Yasin Khan said that government's advice to the people to start their own means of livelihood has fallen flat since steps have been taken by previous governments in order to discourage people from starting their own business."The ordeal of KMDA is a great example of mismanagement carried out by the state government in the past. The shifting of bus terminals was ordered by the High Court for bus stands in Srinagar and Jammu. While the KMDA terminal was shifted immediately to Pantha Chowk, the Jammu bus terminal was not even touched despite court order," Khan.The KEA-K Chairman said that issuance of unlimited permits is the main cause of traffic jams in the city. He said this policy should be changed and new permits should be banned in letter and spirit as per order dated 15.2.2002. |
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