Shreen Hamdani
Development and progress has always been an ignored part when it comes to the valley of Kashmir. Since years the state government has proposed for the upgradation and beautification of the Srinagar city, which is the face of the valley, but all such proposals have vanished in air. In order to analyse the beautification of the Srinagar city, one has to start from the first stop of Srinagar city, the sole Bus stand of the Srinagar situated at Batamaloo. People from different parts of Kashmir who travel to Srinagar, the main central city of Kashmir have to witness a complete traffic mess, vegetable vendors and fruit vendors who have occupied almost half of the road; repairing shops and complete shambles road. This is the first view of the only bus stand in Srinagar, which is a nothing more than a shopping area. Looking at the bus stand, one cannot imagine that he/she is in real, witnessing the face of Srinagar city.
While the state government is much enthusiastic to beautify the Srinagar city, the much required part of the beautification is still ignored. With each passing day, it is turning into a complete vendors market, something which it was not meant for.
While getting into the ground zero of the story, some locals near the so called Bus stand said, “This yard sounds more of a market place rather than a bus stand. It is surrounded by the repairing shops, which is creating un-necessary mess for pedestrians. The shops have extended their work on roads that has resulted in shrinking of pedestrian space on road. Other shops have also created mess there. If person will stand for more than five minutes in the yard, his/her eardrums will get affect due to noise pollution.”
Another person who often takes the same route to reach his office said, “More than ten buses keep honking at the same time. Place is completely congested and unhealthy. The vendors always left with huge residue around that area on moving back to their nests and then the number of dogs monitors all that trash.”
The Residents while alleging the government for the whole mess on the sole bus stand said, “The concerned authorities do not pay any heed to revamp the dismal conditions of this lone bus yard. The road of this station is in ramshackle condition. There is no schedule of arrival and departure timings, no bus fare list and no one to bother whatever is going wrong.”
While the residents have said their tale, the shopkeepers near Batamaloo bus stand have their own tale.
While asking about the condition of the Bus stand, one of the shopkeepers said, “It is a real shame that on one side the government talks about the beautification of Srinagar city and on the other side, the lone Srinagar bus stand is in complete shambles”.
Another shopkeeper, Riyaz said, “I think you should visit this bus stand in winters. The whole bus stand gets water logged. Even the bystanders feel difficult to move around the bus stand. On the other side, being the only bus stand, there is no macadamization done to this road over years. Not just that, there is no proper drainage system.”
While sane voices have raised alarm over the condition of the Bus stand and the State Judiciary has also stepped in to save the sole Bus stand from encroachments.
After all such concerns, there seems no big difference when it comes to ground implementation of things. The recent visit of SDA V-C, Muhammad Shafi rather to the lone Batamaloo bus stand on May 2nd, where he announced in clear words that all encroachment area should be removed within the next two days was nothing but words which went in air. Since May 2nd, not a single encroachment has been removed and moreover further encroachments are coming up of every single day.
In order to inquire what steps SDA have taken against the present pesky situation of Srinagar’s only Bus stand, we tried to contact the SDA V-C, Muhammad Shafi Rather, who did not responded at all.
Sajad Shah, a social activist while talking to the Kashmir scenario said,” we have not almost forgotten that we ever had a bus stand in Srinagar. The main problem is the authorities who every now and then fail to implement their own orders in letter and spirit.
I would like to give you an example of Passenger sheds. These Bus stops are just for the purpose of repainting white and black color, which is fixed on the switching over of Durbar move every year.”
He further said, “There is no concept of bus stops in Kashmir. A bus driver can halt his gear and steering just near to the person standing on the middle of road. Bus stops seem after every five minutes. People should change their attitude and behave like civilized persons.”
Looking at the Condition of Batamaloo bus stand, one cannot refrain from asking himself, as to why the attitude is always different whenever it comes to any developmental projects in the valley?
Starting a beautification drive from the toes will be of no value when the face of it is losing its glory.
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