Baramulla residents aghast over commercial activities in residential colonies

Baramulla, Oct 13: As the use of residential colonies for commercial purposes continues across Baramulla town, the inhabitants of these colonies complained their day-to-day life has become extremely difficult.

The locals here said that some of the oldest “registered” residential colonies in the town including Kanlibagh, Noorbagh, Khawjabagh, Kantbagh are crippling under the commercial activities in these colonies.

In Kanlibagh area of Baramulla town, which is the oldest registered colony of the Baramulla town, the commercial activities carried by some business houses have resulted in severe hardships to the local residents.

Besides, the illegal car parking on the Kanlibagh road has added further difficulties to the residents here. Here private school buses, vans, of some private schools are parked on the road causing immense hardships to the people here.

“The area remains 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. The presence of these stands makes vehicle movement even more difficult,” said Ishfaq Ahmad a local resident. The people here also complained that the presence of the mini secretariat was also affecting the free movement of the pedestrians and vehicles. The mini secretariat housing around five government departments has no parking slot.

“These vehicles which belong to visitors and the employees are often parked outside mini secretariat, resulting in unending traffic jam on Kanlibagh road,” said Manzoor Ahmad of Kanlibagh Baramulla.

The residents of another affected area Khawjabagh Baramulla said the entire area is witnessing mushroom growth of commercial units which has badly affected the residential colony.

While holding the municipal council and the district administration Baramulla responsible for “commercialisation” of residential colonies, the locals said if the practice is not checked, the local residents will be left with no option but to migrate to other places.

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

Muhammad Aslam, a local resident while lashing at the local administration said that in last two decades, we have seen mushroom growth of shopping complexes, in the residential areas.

He said who is granting building permission for construction of such shopping complexes in the residential areas, if they are without permission then they should be seized and if permission has been granted then Municipal council authorities should be held responsible.

“The administration need to take action in case violation of government set norms are proved. The rampant use of residential colonies in to commercial activities has snatched peace of common people,” said Muhammad Amir, of Noorbagh Baramulla.