Baramulla residents aghast over commercial activities in residential colonies

Baramulla, Oct 23: As the use of residential colonies for commercial purposes continues across Baramulla town, the inhabitants of these colonies complain that their day-to-day lives have become extremely difficult.

Locals said that some of the oldest “registered” residential colonies in the town, including Kanlibagh, Noorbagh, Khawjabagh, and Kantbagh, are suffering due to the commercial activities taking place in these areas.

In the Kanlibagh area, which is the oldest registered colony in Baramulla, the commercial activities carried out by some businesses have resulted in severe hardships for local residents.

Additionally, illegal car parking on Kanlibagh Road has further complicated the situation. Private school buses and vans are often parked on the road, causing immense difficulties for residents.

“The area is often abuzz with the movement of heavy trucks loading and unloading goods. At the entry point of Kanlibagh Road, there is an auto-rickshaw stand as well as a stand for small commercial vehicles, making vehicle movement even more difficult,” said Ishfaq Ahmad, a local resident.

Residents also complained that the presence of the mini secretariat is affecting the free movement of pedestrians and vehicles. The mini secretariat, housing around five government departments, lacks a designated parking area.

“Vehicles belonging to visitors and employees are often parked outside the mini secretariat, resulting in unending traffic jams on Kanlibagh Road,” said Manzoor Ahmad of Kanlibagh.

Residents of another affected area, Khawjabagh, stated that the entire neighborhood is witnessing a mushrooming of commercial units, which has adversely affected the residential community.

While holding the municipal council and the district administration of Baramulla responsible for the “commercialisation” of residential colonies, locals warned that if this practice is not checked, residents will have no option but to migrate to other areas.

“How can this commercialisation of residential areas occur without the knowledge of municipal council authorities? This is happening in gross violation of the proposed master plan prepared by the district authorities,” said Muneer Ahmad, a local resident.

Muhammad Aslam, another local resident, criticised the local administration, stating that over the last two decades, there has been a rapid increase in shopping complexes within residential areas.

He questioned who is granting building permissions for the construction of such shopping complexes in residential zones. “If they are built without permission, they should be acted against; if permission has been granted, then the municipal council authorities should be held responsible.”

“The administration needs to take action if violations of government-set norms are proven. The rampant use of residential colonies for commercial activities has disrupted the peace of ordinary people,” said Muhammad Amir of Noorbagh, Baramulla.