SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) and Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) held a grievance redressal meeting with Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Bilal Mohiudin Bhat, at the Banquet Hall on Wednesday. This interactive session aimed to address the pressing concerns of traders and transporters from Srinagar’s key business hubs.
Led by KTMF President Mohammad Yaseen Khan, the meeting included representatives from prominent traders’ associations, particularly those from Lal Chowk, Regal Chowk, Hari Singh High Street, Maharaja Bazar, and neighbouring areas. Feroz Ahmad Baba, President of the Traders Association Central Lal Chowk, highlighted critical challenges faced by businesses in the area. These included delays in ongoing development projects under the Srinagar Smart City initiative, inadequate drainage systems, non-functional public washrooms, insufficient cleanliness measures, and lack of streetlights and parking facilities.
Khan underscored the importance of timely completion of infrastructure projects and urged the administration to enhance facilities in the city’s commercial areas, including Downtown. He emphasised the need for a well-coordinated effort to improve cleanliness, augment basic amenities, and ensure seamless traffic flow to support business operations.
Dr Mohiudin Bhat assured the attendees of swift action, directing concerned departments to prioritise these issues. He stressed the administration’s commitment to fostering a conducive environment for trade and transport activities in the city. Senior officers from the district administration, including Additional Deputy Commissioner Syed Ahmad Kataria and other key officials, also participated in the meeting to address the concerns raised.
The public darbar, organised under the administration’s outreach programme, was lauded by traders and transporters as a vital platform for voicing their grievances, a DIPR statement said. Transporter unions also flagged issues related to the welfare of their members and development concerns at the Parimpora Bus Stand. The Deputy Commissioner assured attendees that their concerns would be resolved in a time-bound manner and urged departments to ensure coordinated efforts to address these pressing matters.
