WE THE PEOPLE
Illegal Occupation of City foot-paths remains Unchecked, Pedestrians Face Severe Hardships
They Urge Law-enforcing Agencies, SMC officials to launch Drive against Encroachers to ensure free Movement
By: MNS/ M. Uzair
Srinagar: The roads of Srinagar city continue to remain as these were some decades back. There has been heavy influx of automobiles, which have compounded the situation. The pedestrians can ill-afford to travel on main roads due to heavy traffic flow and are supposed to use footpaths, but these stand illegally occupied by encroachers with no one to evict them. The encroachers have covered the hydrants located at various places along city roads. This has increased incidence of fire hazards and road accidents. The fatalities are reported daily from one area or the other with no let-up in the situation. The latest statistical data establishes that road fatalities are on increase as there are no safety measures available and as such people urge authorities to wake-up and take necessary measures to remedy the situation.
As a matter of fact, foot-paths are provided to ensure safe passage for pedestrians and if these are illegally occupied then there is no room left for the former to escape the road fatalities. In the city of Srinagar, the shopkeepers have also occupied major portion of foot-paths by placing their merchandize. The hydrants provided by Public Health Engineering Department to provide water for fire-fighting purposes have almost disappeared and there is every apprehension of major fire with no water available to the concerned agencies. The PDD officials have also erected electric poles on the footpaths, putting thereby obstructions to the free movement of pedestrians.
It also needs special mention that the footpaths existing are not in accordance with the Indian Road Congress (IRC) specifications. There are specific guidelines laid down for their size and shape, but State Engineers have consigned these norms to flames. A fly-over for pedestrian traffic stands constructed across Moulana Azad road near Women College Srinagar, but there is dire need for more such fly-overs at several sections of city roads. The authorities must understand that there is population explosion, but the roads have not developed in proportion to such explosion. Therefore, there is need for alternative methods to ease the situation.
“The State Government has been spending huge sums of money on road development in Kashmir Valley, but there has been no improvement as far as traffic flow in concerned. We receive dozens of new and old vehicles from other parts of India daily, but there is no corresponding improvement in the space available for them on the roads. The city of Srinagar is already congested which bars widening of roads and as such there is necessity for adoption of alternative methods to solve the traffic problem. In crowded cities, subways are generally provided to ensure free movement of pedestrians. These subways go a long way in minimizing road accidents. In a place like ours, there is need for more subways and flyovers for safe passage of people. No doubt, the Government has constructed National Highway Bye-Pass, connecting Pantha Chowk with Parimpora, but such routes are not possible everywhere. It is for the authorities to strike at several alternatives to solve traffic problem in the city of Srinagar. Presently the best possible course available with the authorities is to evict the illegal occupants of footpaths so that free and safe movement of pedestrians is ensured. It needs joint effort by several agencies to resolve the issue”, said a group of senior citizens of Kashmir Valley.
Hence the officials of Srinagar Development Authority, Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Police must draw an Action Plan for eviction of illegal occupants of footpaths in the city of Srinagar. The officials of PHE must also rise to the occasion and ensure clearance of hydrants installed by them in the city of Srinagar. These need to be conspicuous so those fire-fighting agencies do not countenance any difficulty in times of emergency. The PDD officials must avoid placement of electric poles on the footpaths to leave free space for the pedestrians.
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