Srinagar: The Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) Chairman Muhammad Yasin Khan has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party-led government of throwing the summer capital of Srinagar to dogs and asked Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to realise her responsibilities.
Khan, who also heads the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF), in a statement issued here, said, with the current messy state of affairs in the summer capital, the plight of other districts of Kashmir Valley can only be imagined.
Khan said the upcoming bridge near Convent school here was being converted into footbridge when there was no such need. “Do we need motorable bridges or walking bridges,” he asked.
Khan said on the other hand the ongoing revamp of the Master Plan for Srinagar was not being done in accordance with the needs of the times. “What we have learnt from media reports is that the same is being secretly altered to meet personal interests of some influential lobby,” Khan said.
He said the biggest nuisance in the city this time is traffic congestion. “Traffic congestion is only worsening and it is really very unfortunate that despite death of a young girl Roshni Kaur due to traffic jams, the district and the divisional administration have been silent on need to streamline traffic. This is criminal negligence,” Khan said.
The business activities in the city center and elsewhere have come to grinding halt whereas the authorities are busy to utilize traffic police for recovering fines and photo sessions. “Srinagar has been subjected to misplaced priorities,” a spokesperson of KEA said. 
He said the meeting called by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmed Khan on March 3 to streamline traffic was a mockery in itself. Quoting an official handout Khan said that even the government admits that the meeting was ridiculous. “As per the handout, Baseer Khan directed for formulation of effective traffic management plan to ensure smooth flow of traffic on busy Batamaloo, Moominabad, Tatoo Ground, Rambagh roads and other areas within a week’s time. If now an effective traffic management plan is being prepared what was administration doing for all these months?”
Meanwhile Muhammad Yasin Khan appealed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari to look into the matter. “What is preventing Bukhari Sahib who constituency is worst hit from calling a meeting stakeholders and experts from the field?”
