The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan on December 21, 2017 had directed removal of permission of roadside car parking at certain places on MA Road, as per the traffic management plan, because it had proved to be a bottleneck.
However, on December 26, ‘implementing the Traffic Management Plan’ rather than removal of permissions was declared to be more important.
When asked what changed in 5 days, the Divisional Commissioner denied ever pointing towards the removal of permission for creating the roadside car parkings.
The statement sent from the official email of the Department of Information was carried by various reputed news organisations here. The presser sent on December 22, 2017 reads, “The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan today reviewed the traffic scenario in Srinagar and directed removal of various bottlenecks so that there is no impediment for smooth plying of traffic…. The Div Com directed removal of permission of roadside car parking at certain places on MA Road as the same has proved to be a bottleneck….”
However, the press release issued on December 26, 2017 mentions nothing about removal of the permission of roadside car parking at certain places. It reads, “Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan today called for strictly implementing the Traffic Management Plan which has already brought in a substantial improvement in the overall traffic scenario in Srinagar… He said that the roadside paid parking has provided organized space to hundreds of vehicles that were otherwise parked haphazardly thus blocking the traffic. He directed the SMC to properly maintain such paid parking so that maximum benefit is derived from them.”
Denying the change in statement, Khan said that he does not know who sent the press release.
“The parking will undoubtedly be there. I am telling you, someone had sent a wrong statement. Wherever the traffic advisory has marked, parking space will be kept available there. The press release is wrong. I don’t know who sent it.”
