Srinagar: A transport organization has called for two-day ‘Chakka Jam’ across Kashmir valley from Wednesday to protest the shifting of Batamaloo General Bus Stand to Parimpora in outskirts of Srinagar.
In a statement, the organization, Kashmir Transporters Welfare Association (KTWA) on Tuesday said the shifting of Batamaloo general bus stand will adversely impact livelihood of thousands of people associated with commercial vehicles as well as businesses operating around it since ages. The KTWA said that all buses and mini-buses will all be part of the strike.
“Government should stop playing around with lives of transporters and traders. It has been decided that a Chakka Jam strike will be held across Kashmir tomorrow and Thursday,” the statement said.
It said vehicles which operate for schools will also be taken off the roads during the two-day strike.
On August 16, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court ordered Srinagar Development Authority to seal the old bus stand at Batamaloo here to be eventually used for public purpose.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, court has also directed Divisional Commissioner and Kashmir’s Inspector General of Police to provide all assistance to SDA.
The court made it clear that if the erstwhile bus stand was still in operation, the same was illegal as the same has been shifted to Parimpora as per the government notification.
The court had said it was joint responsibility of SDA and Srinagar Municipal Corporation to ensure that bus stand was cleared from all ‘condemned’ vehicles as well as of all scrap lying inside and outside it.