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| Under prepared admn defers mega traffic diversion plan for Srinagar | | ET Impact | | Hyder Ali
Srinagar, Apr 13: Prompted by the series of Early Times reports, which recently exposed that administration in Kashmir was "underprepared" to undertake the massive traffic diversion in Srinagar in the wake of proposed closure of the arterial Jehangir Chowk Ram Bagh (JCRB) road, the authorities have deferred that plan "till things get into place."
As the JCRB flyover construction is underway, there were apprehensions of mishap if traffic continued to ply on that route.
Sensing trouble, Governor NN Vohra had sought safety audit of the route, while the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Asgar Hassan Samoon was asked to look into the matter. Though Samoon instantly prepared the "politically motivated" diversion plan, which was scheduled to be in place from April 9, this newspaper had highlighted the drawbacks of the regulation system and that it would drag Srinagar to "worst ever traffic jams ahead of the business season." The report triggered major concern from the stakeholders including Kashmir Inc which raised a hue a cry while Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is understood to have subsequently intervened in the matter.
Sources said finding himself getting cornered, Samoon called a fresh meeting of the concerned officials asking them to come up with "full preparedness on the ground including removal of bottlenecks what so ever."
Experts say a major hindrance in the traffic diversion plan is the presence of Batamaloo bus stand, which needs to be relocated to Parim Pora.
But due to the "political pressures" from a senior politician who has been allegedly sabotaging the bus stand relocation only to please his "vote bank", the administration had been dilly-dallying the relocation plan.
And, there was another trouble. The Srinagar Development Authority owned Parim Pora bus stand is "in a mess" for over year as the facility worth over Rs 10 crores has been converted into a slum for workers of the political party. "In a bid to please a particular political party whose workers have grabbed the bus stand and constructed houses there, he (divisional commissioner) had been trying hard for an option where Parimpora bus stand doesn't need to be put to be use and stays back as slum. But in doing so, he was taking entire Srinagar hostage.
And this is something which Early Times rightly exposed," said a senior official adding that the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh who is also the Housing Minister has been appraised about the "bus stand scam."
The Deputy Chief Minister is understood to have asked the Srinagar Development Authority VC Thaseen Mustafa to go for immediate evacuation of the Parim Pora bus stand.
While the bus stand is likely to be evacuated in the coming days, the Divisional Commissioner woke up to the shortage of police personnel needed to manage the traffic diversion.
"Besides some roads also need to be repaired while the Batamaloo corridor needs to be kept free of any pavement vending or other obstrucitons," the officials said adding the meeting discussed all such issues.
They said SSP Traffic Maqsood Un Zaman has been asked to come up with a blueprint of the diversion, which will be subsequently put in place. Sources said the "smart plan" would be ready by this evening.
"But putting all these things in place, for smooth regulation of traffic, will take some time and till then the traffic won't be diverted as was decided earlier," confirmed a senior official in the divisional administration. In keeping with the tradition, the government is likely to discuss the diversion plan threadbare with the stakeholders including traffic experts, business players, members from civil society. |
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