Boulevard Road Srinagar
Srinagar: At a time when Srinagar is struggle with frequent traffic jams due to narrow roads and other road bottlenecks, the government plans construct walkways and cycle track for along the Boulevard road.
However, the irony is such that nobody knows where from the government will acquire the land space for the particular project.
“We have already so much traffic jam on the boulevard road,” a traffic official told The Kashmir Press.
“I have no idea from where the space will be provided for such project especially for the cycle tracks. It is obvious they would not encroach on the roads. We think, they will take a portion of foot paths. Now the question is, if it happens, how would the pedestrians would walk?”
The official termed the idea of constructing cycle tracks and walkways absurd saying it seems the project was conceived mostly for the elites living around boulevard road.
“This particular project is actually looked after by state traffic advisor, Anuj Gupta,” official said.
“He has failed to regulate the traffic, now he is coming with such weird ideas”.
Gupta is reported to be close to the ruling party’s powerful politicians.
The decision to construct a walkways and cycle track along the boulevard road was taken by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan.
According to the government, while reviewing the progress on Rs 33 crore four-laning project of boulevard road from Nehru Park to Kralsangri.
Khan directed the concerned departments to complete all the modalities necessary for the groundwork so that the symbolic construction cycle track and walkway starts at an earliest.
For the smooth and uninterrupted construction work, the Divisional Commissioner constituted a Sub-Committee under the Chairmanship of District Development Commissioner (DDC) Srinagar with Traffic Advisor to Government, VC LAWDA, Chief Engineer PHE, Superintending Engineers of R&B, PDD and Chief Wild Life Warden as its members.
The Sub-Committee will hold the meeting in a week’s time and submit the report to the Divisional Commissioner’s office.
Div Com said that once the 4-laning project of Boulevard road is completed, it will greatly reduce the traffic congestion on the vital stretch of the road which would benefit the locals and tourists alike.