Srinagar, Feb 16: City much hyped central market ‘Kashmir Haat’ known for its world class handicrafts products, has turned into silent zone as most of the shops are closed in the market.
According shopkeepers at Kashmir Haat said that from last couple of years the market has become a salient zone as no customer is willing to visit the historical market.
Farooq Ahmad, a shopkeeper at the market said most of the shops are closed as they belong to shopkeepers who prefer selling their material outside state from last 25 years.
He said apart from total shops, that 10 % of the shops also belong to migrant community and in both winters and summers, market remains deserted.
President Kashmir Haat Shopkeepers Association, Nisar Ahmad said that it is unfortunate that the traditional market has been left to God’s mercy.
He said out of 125 shopkeepers, 70% of the shops have remained closed for last several years, adding that it also affects their business.
“Several times, we appealed to concerned authorities but there was no concrete reply from them, leaving the shopkeepers dry and high,” Nisar said.
Another shopkeeper, Mohammd Lateef said they approached officials several times but they turned deaf ears to their demands. The status of their problem is static, he said.
Lateef Ahmad said Handicrafts department is responsible for making this market as customer less market. The department should send fresh proposal to government that this market would be made tourist destination like other markets in the valley, he said.
Ahmad said, “If government wants to revive the traditional market they have come forward to save the traditional market from becoming a shop less market.
An official at Directorate of Handicrafts Jammu and Kashmir told JKNS that they would look into the matter and issue would be resolved very soon.
“If shopkeepers would cooperate with department, market can become prime tourist destination,” he added.
