Encroachment of roads by vendors leads to traffic jams in Srinagar

Srinagar, Jan 9: Failure of authorities to prevent encroachment of vital roads by street vendors in the summer capital is taking a heavy toll on commuters.

In absence of regulation, street vendors have encroached upon various roads including Hari Singh High Street, Maharaja Bazar, Batamaloo, Khanyar, Dalgate, Hazratbal, Rainawari, Bohri Kadal, Eidgah and Qamarwari.

Besides roads outside vital healthcare institutions including SMHS Hospital, SKIMS Soura, LD Hospital and JLNM Hospital at Rainawari are dotted with street vendors.

“Roads outside LD Hospital have been encroached upon by street vendors. There is hardly any space left for smooth movement of vehicles, including ambulances putting patients at risk,” said Farooq Ahmad, an attendant of a patient at LD hospital.

Situation outside SKIMS Soura is the worst. Besides roads, even footpaths have been occupied by vendors. “SMC is sitting on the encroachment of roads by vendors. There is a need to shift the vendors to separate vending zones so that commuters don’t face any inconvenience,” said Abdul Hamid, a commuter.

“There is major encroachment by roadside vendors around important landmarks and other busy places in Downtown. This triggers heavy traffic jams, and amid ongoing development projects in Srinagar, the situation gets worse,” said Sajad Ahmad, a local.

The locals said that, most importantly, the encroachment around hospitals like SDH Hazratbal and Soura in Srinagar has become a nuisance.

“Emergency vehicles like Ambulances and Fire tenders ply on this road, and authorities should ensure that the roads are clear of vendors,” said an attendant at Soura.

Meanwhile, vendors blamed the failure of authorities to provide feasible vending zones to them.

“If we had a proper vending zone at some spot, which is good for business, why would we put our stalls on the road? We too have to earn our livelihood,” said Nazir Ahmad, a vendor.

Anti-Encroachment officer, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, said that they have been regularly carrying anti-encroachment drives across Srinagar.

“New vending zones will come up, and this issue will be addressed accordingly. We have also provided some space for these vendors at several places, but unless these vendors cooperate and shift to these locations, the issue will persist,” Bhat said.