Help implement ‘odd-even’ in state: CM to Students

Tells MC to start biometric registration of roadside vendors

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today sought cooperation from the public to find a solution to traffic problems being faced by people in the Valley.
“The student community and trader organisations could lead from the front by voluntarily taking to new concepts of traffic decongestion like odd-even plan and car pooling, which has been successfully attempted in many other states,” she said, while chairing a high-level meeting at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) to find workable solution which embeds better traffic management in city and towns.
The Chief Minister said the ever-growing traffic congestion and blatant encroachment of public spaces in city and towns was posing a big challenge and asked the enforcement wings to ‘get their act together so that some respite is provided to the commuters and pedestrians, who find their space shrinking with each passing day’.
She asked the DGP to commit additional manpower to the traffic wing for better regulation in movement of vehicles.
An official statement said the Chief Minister was informed by the SSP Traffic that to manage 3.5 lakh vehicles, only 500 traffic personnel were presently available for manning 120 intersections, even when the actual requirement was 1,200.
Mehbooba passed directions for making Parimpora and Pantha Chowk Bus Stands immediately functional. She directed the Municipal Commissioner to start Aadhaar-based biometric registration of all hawkers and street vendors.
This she said would help in their relocation to identified clusters within the City Centre where they can earn their livelihood with dignity.
Mehbooba said till the multi-tier parking facilities became functional, normal parking slots had to be identified in the vicinity of Lal Chowk for easing traffic congestion. She also floated the idea of creating non-vehicular traffic zones in the city which could provide walking space for locals and visiting tourists.
“We can start with Polo View and Koker Bazaar, where apart from locals, tourists could go and explore shopping opportunities and take back a different opinion of the place,” she added.
On expansion of KMD parking slot in the heart of Srinagar city, the Chief Minister issued directions for immediate shifting of Ranbir Printing Press to its new premises at Pampore. Once complete, the parking will accommodate nearly 1,000 cars, which is expected to bring some relief to the people.
Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Navin K Chaudhary, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon, IGP, Kashmir Zone, SJM Gillani, IG, Traffic, Shafkat Watali, Transport Commissioner, Pervez Khateeb and Commissioner, SMC, Bashir Ahmad Khan attended the meeting.