Baramulla: The on-street car parking initiated a year ago by the Municipal Council Baramulla has been a source of trouble for local residents due to the lack of proper management.
The project was aimed to provide relief from the absence of off-street car parking in the town, however, without effective management, has become a cause of discomfort for the people here.
When the on-street car parking space was developed, the municipal council authorities assured the public that it would be managed efficiently, with personnel deployed to handle the car parking space and generate revenue from it. However, the absence of management has resulted in haphazard parking, leading to frequent fights and quarrels among car owners.
Muhammad Ashraf, a local resident, expressing his frustration said, “Had there been proper management, these fights would not have happened.” Many others also believe that the lack of management is hindering the efficient use of the car parking space, leading to unnecessary conflicts.
The decision to develop on-street car parking was taken after the Baramulla administration failed to identify suitable land for off-street car parking in the town. A stretch of land on one side of the Srinagar-Baramulla highway, at various stretches was earmarked for paid car parking to alleviate the growing unplanned car parking mess in the town. However, this was meant to be a temporary measure until an off-street car parking facility could be developed.
Local residents have welcomed the initiative by the Municipal Council Baramulla, but they expressed disappointment over the authorities’ failure to deliver on the promised off-street car parking facility, a demand that remains unfulfilled.
Farooq Ahmad, a local resident while expressing his anger, said that a few days back he parked his car in the on-street car parking space and went to a doctor at his clinic. He said soon after he returned he found another car had blocked the exit area with the result he was forced to wait for more than two hours till he returned.
“Had there been management of the car parking space, I would not have gone through such an ordeal,” he said.
The residents of Baramulla town have urged the Baramulla district administration to ensure off-road car parking space as well as management of the on-street car parking space in the town.
Earlier, the Baramulla administration identified several potential locations for the car parking lot, but these proposals failed to materialise leading to further disappointment for the townspeople.
Notably, last year, the administration allocated Rs 40 lakh to the municipal council Baramulla for the construction of a modern car parking facility at Noor-ul-Huda market, which offered around four kanals of available land. However, this proposal was put on hold, for reasons known only to the administration.
The Municipal Council Baramulla president, Umar Kakroo, while talking to Greater Kashmir said that the issue will be resolved soon. He said they will deploy men there who will be responsible for its management. “The issue will be resolved within two weeks,” he said.