Shopkeepers under the banner of Traders Coordination Committee, Solina Bazar, Rambagh Monday protested and observed complete shutdown against the delay in promised compensation.
Scores of traders from Solina Bazar gathered around at 10 am at Rambagh Bridge. They staged protest against the district administration for failing to release the compensation. They blocked Rambagh Bridge which resulted to traffic jam for one and a half hour on the route.
A group of Shopkeepers said, “Soon after the construction was started on the flyover. We were promised monthly 10,000 for each Shopkeeper for six months. But two years have passed and we are still waiting for the compensation.”
The agitating shopkeepers were demanding the relief which was promised to them in 2014.
“We also approached the then CM Omar Abdullah he also assured in written that the affected traders to be given 10,000 monthly. But till now nothing has been done in this regard,” said Rayees Ahmad a Shopkeeper from Solina.
They approached Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) for a number of times but they never paid heeds.
A Shopkeeper Nisar Ahmad said, “The construction work on flyover has already halted the public movement which resulted to economic losses. Most of the shopkeepers solely dependent on shops and have not any other source. The district administration is not initiating any action despite repeated attempts from traders we e are still waiting for the promised relief.”
We have already suffered a lot from September 2014 floods which damaged crores of property here. There are around 300 shops which will be affected by the closure of the road at flyover site.
Members of the Coordination Committee said, “The economic losses have resulted to psychological pressures. Despite its (flyover) influence on Traffic the work is going on snail’s pace. ERA is delaying the work and state government is silent over it.”
They appealed Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) to work on the flyover on fast track basis so that we can not suffer more.
Traders threatened that if district administration will not provide us the promised relief we will again block the road and the state government will be responsible for any loss.
“This is a genuine financial assistance due to closure of JCRB (Jehangir Chowk -Rambagh Flyover roaf), we deserve it,” they said.
The diversion plan issued by traffic department will also affect the traders. We have already lost a lot during the construction of the flyover, they added.
Talking to us, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Lone said that I had invited them they had a meeting with me today. Tomorrow Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has also asked for a meeting in this regard, hopefully the matter will be solved.
