The Srinagar administration has finalised an enforcement plan for a concrete and irreversible shifting of registered street vendors to designated five vending zones set up at different locations in the city centre.
This was informed in a meeting held here Tuesday under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.
The meeting was informed that joint enforcement teams comprising Revenue and SMC officials have been constituted with strict instructions to clear all roads and shift vendors to their designated zones adding that CRPF and Police personnel will assist in enforcement operations.
It was said that encroachment of roads will no longer be allowed in the city adding that strictest of actions will be taken against vendors who will resist shifting to their corresponding vending zones or indulge in violations of orders in this regard.
Concerned Tehsildars will oversee the vendor shifting operations in their respective jurisdictions and will also coordinate with the SMC and assist it in efforts thereto.
The meeting also discussed the encroachment of footpaths by shopkeepers in the city and measures required to be taken to clear them. It was observed that footpath encroachments are a major form of public inconvenience risking pedestrians who are forced to use the main vehicular roads.
Tehsildars were authorized to start a concrete drive against encroachments thereof being instructed to seize the merchandise and seal the shops found encroaching footpaths.
It was said violations in this regard will attract substantial fines adding that errant shops will not be allowed to reopen unless their fines stand paid.
The SMC was asked to submit the vending zone-wise list of vendors forthwith and make preparations for shifting them.
The DC while speaking on the occasion said shifting of vendors to designated vending zones is being done in accordance with a well-formulated plan allowing easier identification and preventing proliferation of registered vendors.
It is notable that there are a total of some 3000 registered street vendors in the Srinagar city and that their unregulated operations encroaching important vehicular roads result in major traffic jams and congestion which affects traffic situation of the whole city.
Joint Commissioner SMC, Joint Director Planning, concerned Tehsildars among other officers attended the meeting.