Srinagar: Though the construction of a bridge at Qamarwari was started in the year 2007, the authorities have miserably failed to complete the project, thus leaving commuters especially the shopkeepers there to suffer.
According to KNO correspondent, the bridge is awaiting construction for over a decade since the government failed to compensate or relocate the shopkeepers and house owners whose structures were to be dismantled adjoining to the bridge.
More than two dozen residential houses, nearly 60 shops, a mosque and fire and emergency station here in Qamarwari were noticed about the dismantling of the structures, since the new bridge was to be constructed that would ease the traffic mess from Qamarwari to Noorbagh road, said Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, a shopkeeper.
“The government has yet failed to relocate the house owners and shopkeepers that have halted the construction of the bridge for over a decade,” Bhat said.
However, the constriction was started in the year 2007 but stopped immediately in the same year after the shopkeepers and house owners put a deadlock on the construction since they were compensated by the government, which was not agreeable according to the current market value, he added.
Qamarwari Traders Union President, Showket Ahmad Bhat said that the government is still not shunning its stubbornness attitude over the compensation or relocation issue to the aggrieved shopkeepers and house owners. “Initially the government was willing to pay 10 lakh per shop which was later raised to 15 lakh which is not acceptable as per the current market value,” Showket said.
“How can we start a new venture with this little amount in hand, rather the government should pay 30 lakh per shop and house so that every owner could be able to start a new venture and rehabilitate himself”.
The shopkeeper and house owners said that they had meetings with successive chief Ministers including late Mufti Mohammad Syed, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti but the all that overcame without a fruitful result.
They said that they even had a meet with the Divisional Commissioner, but the negotiations failed and the matter is still pending and nothing happened till date.
They allege the government of deliberately depriving them by not compensating or relocating them as per the current market value since put the bridge construction on halt.
Ghulam Qadir Lasoo, a house owner said that their came no response from the government since the year 2010, neither the government is read to compensate as per the neither current market value nor are they relocated elsewhere for rehabilitation.
“We appealed the government several times that SMC land nearby could be suitable place for our rehabilitation and relocation of shops but the authority seems to be duff and dumb,” Lasoo grieved.
Fire and emergency station Qamarwari, which also comes in the list of dismantling structures for which the government is yet to decide the relocation since no initiatives have been taken so far.
Deputy Director Fire and Emergency service, Bashir Ahmad Shah told Kashmir News Observer that they have no plan yet where to relocate the station, even they have not been directed by the admin about relocation.
“We will take necessary steps and approach the government to relocate the station as soon as possible. After removal, we could serve public from the nearby fire service stations including Rawalpora, SafaKadal and Batamaloo till the new station for Qamarwari would be ready,” shah said.
Qamarwari road links the city with north Kashmir and central Kashmir, so, often witness huge traffic jams due to the choked road, the bridge would widen the road and could streamline traffic on the congested route but the project is pending for over a decade.
Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, Chief Engineer, Sami Arif Yesvi told Kashmir News Observer that the bridge comes in the languishing projects since there has been the rehabilitation issue from the shopkeepers and house owners.
“They will be compensated as per the actual market value of 2010 sucne we have forwarded the affiliated file to revenue department.
And house holder or shop owner would be remunerated according to their demands since everything would be as per the government norms,” Yesvi said.
Yasvi cited the lack of funds another reasons for the delay in construction and said that bridge would have been completed if the funds were released earlier but due to cost variation and escalation the construction was held.
