Early closure of SSCL’s multi-level parking takes toll on commuters

Srinagar, July 11:Early closure of main gate of Srinagar Smart City’s Press Colony parking is taking a toll on commuters who face problems to park their vehicles.

The commuters said that in the heart of Srinagar’s commercial hub Lal Chowk, the main gates of the parking is closed in the evening leaving commuters to fend for themselves amid the lack of parking spaces. A group of commuters told Greater Kashmir that, the main gate of the parking at the press colony side is closed by 6 pm and they have to park outside the parking lot which creates inconvenience for journalists working in Press Colony.

“This pushes everyone to go for the wrong parking. Some people even park vehicles in Press Colony, and the journalists working there have nowhere to park. Most of the time, the vehicles are stuck amid other parked vehicles in the Press Colony, creating a mess,” said Manzoor Ahmad, a commuter. Many scribes who work at Press Colony said that as they arrive in the evening hours, there is no place to park their vehicle owing to the closure of the gate of the SSCL parking.

“Due to this issue, the tourist vehicles and the vehicles of other commuters park vehicles haphazardly, leaving us in the lurch. Here is our office, and we don’t know where else to park. This is a business and tourist hub, and the market is buzzing till midnight. In such circumstances, there is no purpose of closing the parking,” one of the media persons.

The aggrieved said that another gate at the Abiguzar side of the parking is open only till 8 pm, and the staff there refuses to allow vehicles after 8 pm, saying the parking will close soon.

“This leaves the vehicles stranded without anywhere to go. There are also tourist vehicles, and when tourism is booming, what message are we sending by closing the parking gates in the evening,” said another commuter. The business owners also said that Lal Chowk which is the city centre is already overwhelmed due to vehicles and they want parking to operate round the clock. The commuters and officer goes in the vicinity demanded that SSCL parking should be made operational round the clock to ensure convenience to commuters and locals.

“This is one of the main parking spaces in the city centre, and if authorities are going to keep it closed, what is the purpose of spending millions of rupees on it? We appeal to authorities to keep it open round the clock,” said another commuter.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat, said that he would look into the issue and address it accordingly. “I will take up the issue with concerned officials and resolve it so that people won’t face any inconvenience,” Bhat said.