Commercial activities in Srinagar paralysed

Srinagar, Apr 12 (UNI) Commericial activities in the historic Lal Chowk, nerve centre of the summer capital, and adjoining areas came to a halt today after shopkeepers took to the streets demanding resumption of passenger traffic service through civil lines.

Hundreds of shopkeepers and their salesmen in busy commercial areas of Lal Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Red Cross Road, Exchange road, Koker Bazar, Residency road and Moulana Azad road took to the streets.

Raising slogans against the administration, the demonstrators said they will continue their protest till their demands are met.

The demands included shifting of city bus stand back to civil lines and resumption of passenger traffic movement to Lal Chowk and Budshah Chowk.

The shopkeepers alleged that their business had suffered after traffic movement was diverted through other routes.

Shifting of city bus service from the KMDA bus stand and other city stand to Parimpora and Pantha chowk has resulted in considrable loss to business, they said, adding the sales had come down to zero in some cases.

The traders said despite assurance by the divisional authorities to shift the city bus stands back to their old places, nothing has been done so far.

The authorities have shifted a number of city bus stand to outskirts of the city to avoid frequent traffic jams.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has also directed the divisonal authorities to shift the general bus stands to outskirts of the city.

UNI BAS SHB RS1558