| In times of peak tourism, Boulevard in Traffic mess
At a time when picturesque Kashmir is wooing more and more visitors, City"s tourist hub along the Boulevard, on Dal lake banks faces traffic jams, while absence of proper parking lots is being seen as a key reason to the problem. "There"s need of an urgent short term plan, which is possible through establishment of parking lots for around 3000 vehicles" Long term plan like construction of multistoried parking has been there for the past several years but the City can't wait for the dreams to realize," said a retired official, a skilled on traffic management. ADMIN IN SLUMBER The district administration seems to be in slumber. CALL ME FOR RESPITE: DIG The Deputy Inspector General of Police (Traffic) Shafqat Watali reiterated that people, including tourists should please feel free to call him on his mobile (9419102410) whenever they face any inconvenience with regard to traffic regulation. "People can equally serve as our eyes by updating us about any inconvenience because police cannot be physically present everywhere, all the times," the official explained. THE WIDENING AWAITED Successive regimes have miserably failed to widen the road stretch between Dalgate and Nehru Park. Experts said due to lack of adequate parking facilities at the hotels and the guesthouses in the area, most of the vehicles end up getting parked on the Boulevard, awaiting widening for the past around 20 years. The government however seemingly failed to look for alternatives to bear the traffic load on this vital road. The vehicular movement on this narrow stretch upto Nehru Park, some two kilometers long" remains difficult. "We often get stuck in the jams for over an hour particularly while returning home in the evenings," said a resident of Harwan. Prominent businessman Manzoor Ahmed Wangnoo, who also heads the Nigeen Lake Conservation Organization, said the traffic mess in Nishat area was brining disrepute for the Valley"s tourist industry. People should please feel free to call us and we assure immediate results," Watali said. "Proper parking facility is the need of the our," Wangnoo told Greater Kashmir. PUBLIC IRKED All this irks the tourists and the locals alike while the problem looks worst for people living ahead of Nishat in areas like Shalimar and Harwan. MESS OUTSIDE GARDENS The absence of proper parking lot outside gardens like Nehru Park and the Mughal Gardens at Nishat has furthered the mess. TRAFFIC POLICE SPEAKS Superintendent of Police Traffic Hasseb Ur Rehman while monitoring traffic regulation on this tourist road said there were no traffic jams but "slow down at peak hours. He said for a speedy respite people should make the best use of communication technology. |
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
In times of peak tourism, Boulevard in Traffic mess
