By: Ahmad Shabir
Anantnag: Despite passing five years, the authorities have failed to complete the much-awaited multi-level parking complex in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, leaving the commuters to lurch at large.
The foundation stone for the multi-level parking complex was laid in 2017 in Janglat Mandi area on Medical College road. The contract for the construction of the hi-tech project was allotted to the housing board.
Estimated at Rs 17 crore, the project was aimed to end the traffic jams in the area caused as a result of roadside parking by the people.
Though the deadline for the completion of the project was 2019, however, five years has passed, the parking complex continues to remain incomplete.
Official sources said that despite the availability of funds for the project, the executing agency has failed to complete the same even after nearly five years.
“The construction agency so far has missed several deadlines to complete the project which was aimed to provide relief to the people,” a source said.
People and local traders too are blaming the construction agency for working on the project at a slow pace.
“Janglat Mandi area is significant from the commercial point of view and witnesses a huge rush of people every day. Besides medical college, most of the private clinics and diagnostic centers are located in this area. Since there is no other parking facility in the area, people mostly patients’ right from Lal chowk, another business hub park their vehicles on roadsides, resulting in traffic jams,” said a local trader, Ishtiyaq Ahmad.
What agonizes the patients more is the lifting of their roadside parked vehicles by traffic officials.
“When the patients from far-off areas supposed to consult doctors at GMC or private clinics find no space for parking, they are left with no option but to park their cars on roadsides. On their return they are shocked to know that their cars have been lifted by a traffic crane which agonises them more,” said Nisar Ahmad, who is running a medical shop in the area.
GMC premises, is the only parking facility in the whole area, which gets occupied by 10: 30 am.
Ahmad said that authorities must open the parking complex without any more delay and not agonize people, mostly patients, by lifting their cars and imposing fine on them for road side parking. “It is the failure of the authorities in completing the parking complex for which people are bearing the brunt,” he said.
An official said that only the interiors of the car complex are incomplete.
“The project is almost complete. It is only some interior works that are pending and hopefully they will be completed in a month or two. It is true that once the parking complex is thrown open, traffic mess in the area will surely end,” the official said.
