Shopian, Nov 8: Traffic congestion in south Kashmir’s Shopian town is expected to ease with the Municipal Council Shopian nearing completion of a multi-car parking facility, while the approval of its second phase has raised hopes of further improving parking infrastructure.
The facility, being constructed at an allotted cost of around Rs 386.94 lakh, is expected to provide relief to commuters and residents who often face difficulties due to vehicles parked along roads in the town.
Suhail Malik, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Municipal Council Shopian, said that around 95 per cent of the construction work had been completed.
“We hope it will be completed by the end of this month,” Malik told Greater Kashmir.
He also confirmed that the second phase of the parking project had been approved, paving the way for further expansion of parking facilities in the town.
Residents, however, said that the growing number of vehicles and the limited availability of designated parking spaces continued to contribute to traffic congestion, particularly in busy commercial areas.
“Due to the lack of adequate parking spaces, people often park their cars on the roads, making the movement of traffic difficult,” said Sajad Ahmad, a resident.
He said that improperly parked vehicles frequently caused traffic jams, inconveniencing commuters, shopkeepers and pedestrians.
Social activist Mitha Gatoo said that residents had already identified a site near Gole Chakri for the construction of an additional parking facility to address the town’s growing needs.
“An old, single-storey building stands there and should be dismantled to make way for an underground parking facility, while a new building could be constructed above it,” he said.
Gatoo said that developing the proposed site could help make better use of the available space while providing additional parking capacity in a busy part of the town.
Residents said that improving parking infrastructure had become increasingly important as the number of vehicles continued to rise, putting pressure on the town’s limited road space.
They stressed that the completion of the ongoing project, along with the development of additional parking facilities, could help reduce roadside parking and improve traffic movement.
They also called for better traffic management and enforcement against improper parking to ensure that the new infrastructure delivers the intended benefits.
The Municipal Council’s ongoing project and the approval of the second phase are expected to add to Shopian’s parking infrastructure, although residents say further measures will be needed to address congestion across the town.
