Srinagar without designated vending zones

Srinagar, Apr 30: Lack of designated vending zones is giving free hand to street vendors to encroach upon roads and footpaths in the summer capital--hampering vehicular movement.

“All major spots and roads have been encroached upon by the vendors in Srinagar. It is like navigating a puzzle while commuting. The traffic jams are a result of the lack of proper vending zones,” said Arshid Ahmad, a commuter.

The traders’ community in Srinagar also said that they raised the issue at several forums and press conferences. A few months back, traders of various markets in the city center areas held a major press conference expressing concern over the encroachment of roads by vendors.

Traders in the city’s commercial hub, Lal Chowk said that the issue is affecting them in multiple ways and also leading to major traffic flow problems. Farhan Kitab, Chairman of the Joint Traders Association, said that the issue should be addressed in a way that it does not affect the business of any trader, be it a vendor or any shopkeeper.

“We had suggested that in addition to special vending zones, there should be special time slots when vending zones can work properly. These time slots can go beyond the peak time hours of evening when the rush of traffic is low, and it would also help in keeping the market open for long hours,” Kitab said.

The vendors also say that they often have to face action and demand proper vending zones to make their business stable.

“As long as we are given the proper location, the vending zones are best for us. There are minor vending zones like Makkah Market in Lal-Chowk, and we want zones on the same pattern,” said Jan Muhammad, a vendor at Downtown. The traders said that they had taken up the issue with Srinagar Smart City officials, but nothing concrete was done in this regard.

SMC Commissioner and CEO of SSCL, Owais Ahmed, said that they already have a plan in place for the creation of special vending zones.

“We have also identified the land in this regard, and the matter has been taken up with various departments. Once that is done, we will shift the vendors to those vending zones,” he said.