Five months after Batamaloo general bus stand was shifted to Parimpora, affected traders have urged the authorities to construct commercial spaces at the proposed mini-secretariat to rehabilitate them.
In a memorandum submitted to the district administration, the traders have demanded to be made an “integral part” of the proposed mini-secretariat.
“In the DPR of the mini-secretariat, shopkeepers dislocated by shifting of bus stand may be given priority in the upcoming project by accommodating them in the same premises as the space at Parimpora is ill-located and not conducive for trade activity thereby defeating the basic concept of rehabilitation,” said Abrar Ahmed Khan, chairman, Joint coordination committee and president, Batamaloo Traders Association.
Khan said the average employment of the shopkeepers inside erstwhile bus stand was five each totaling to 6000 employees who have been hit by the shifting.
“Shopkeepers who are outside the bus stand have already disengaged their employees up to 30% till now. As estimated, 15,000 people stands disengaged from their jobs and the trend is continuing. The number is enough to give you firsthand information of the damage done to the private employment initiative. In case corrective steps are not taken on time situation can go from bad to worse,” Khan said.
Khan said a huge number of vendors selling variety of goods are still hopeful that the government will accommodate them elsewhere since “Parimpora does not have enough space to get these hawkers adjusted,”, he said.
Khan said the purpose of shifting of Batamaloo bus stand is to decongest the area, which can be achieved effectively by providing effective efficient travel options to commuters travelling from north Kashmir to Srinagar.
“We propose to allow long-distance non-stop 25 big buses having stop point, starting from Shamshan Ghat, near Jhelum Complex or from the residual land of the proposed mini secretariat without staying for longer time to facilitate the students, employees and general public. This facility will save the time and money of the concerned,” Khan said.
Khan said some medium and small vehicles should also be allowed to stop at the Batamaloo area to “augment the larger interest of the public and a space be earmarked for such facility”.
“If not a bus stand atleast a sumo service as a transit point must be allowed at Batamaloo. This type of facility may be given a permanent feature in the DPR of mini secretariat to supplement the transportation need of general public, students, office going employees and traders as well,” Khan said.
“We also propose five drop points starting from RTO office to Jehangir chowk on both sides of the road to drop the people including patients, students, traders and employees etc coming from periphery,” Khan said.