Traders Fume As SMC Seals Shopping Malls in City

Srinagar: Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has sealed 19 shopping complexes in the city which have no car parking facilities in their basements during its ongoing drive. 

However the move has angered the traders who blame the government for allowing such constructions at the first place sans parking facility.

The move comes following the High Court orders to the government to seal these structures.

According to the SMC Commissioner, Showkat Zargar 19 shopping complexes have been sealed till Wednesday. “Only these 19 complexes had to be sealed as they lacked parking space. We have stopped sealing today. The court had ordered sealing of 31 complexes, but only 19 were against norms, rest of these have such facilities,” Zargar said.

Zargar said that the decision has been taken after the court in 2014 had directed the government to seal such malls.

But traders are angry with such a decision of the SMC and the court as well. The traders said that besides suffering losses in their business, the SMC is also part to the party.

“Why did the government and the SMC allow these constructions at the first place? Why not punish those officials who permitted these constructions,” asked Mohammad Yasin Khan, president of Kashmir Traders and Manufactures Federation

Khan hit out at the government, saying “it is the duty of the government to maintain checks and balances.”

“But the government allows these constructions and then brushes aside it responsibility till the matters are taken to the court. Such constructions are taking across the state, but we fail to understand why Kashmir is pointed out,” he said.

He said that traders who have hired shops in these malls will be severely hit due to closure.

“Where such businessmen and their families go when their shops, from which they run their household chores, will go,” he said. 

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