Srinagar, Jan 18: A delegation from the Kashmir Traders & Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) visited Uri today and held detailed deliberations with the Traders Federation Uri to assess problems facing the local business community, particularly the looming displacement of shops and chronic power shortages.
The delegation was led by KTMF President Mohammad Yaseen Khan and included Traders Federation Baramulla President Er. Tariq Mugloo, Javaid Ahmad Soleh, and Intikhab Alam Bhat. During the meeting, Haji Mohammad Shafi, President of Traders Federation Uri, presented a comprehensive briefing on the pressing issues confronting traders and shopkeepers in the region.
Mohammad Shafi informed the KTMF leadership that one of the major concerns is the ongoing road widening project, under which around 31 shops are likely to be dislocated. He emphasised the urgent need for a clear rehabilitation and resettlement plan for the affected traders so that their livelihoods are not jeopardised.
He further stressed that the road widening work should be executed speedily to avoid prolonged disruption to business activities, traffic movement, and daily life in the market area. Delays have already caused significant losses, traders observed.
Another key issue raised was the inadequate power supply in Uri. The Traders Federation Uri demanded that the electricity supply be enhanced and stabilised to meet the needs of commercial establishments, especially given the harsh weather conditions and increasing dependence on electrical appliances.
Apart from the formal deliberations, KTMF President Mohammad Yaseen Khan interacted extensively with a large number of local traders and shopkeepers, listening firsthand to their grievances, concerns, and suggestions. The traders shared their ground-level experiences and sought KTMF’s intervention for the resolution of their genuine demands.
Addressing the gathering, Mohammad Yaseen Khan assured the Uri trading community that KTMF fully understands the sensitivity of border-area markets and will strongly take up the issues of road widening, rehabilitation of affected shops, speedy execution of projects, and enhancement of power supply with the concerned authorities for early redressal.
“No development project should come at the cost of traders’ survival,” he said, reiterating KTMF’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of the business community.
KTMF stated that the Uri visit is part of its continued outreach programme to engage with affiliated market bodies, understand grassroots-level challenges, and ensure that the concerns of traders from all districts—particularly far-flung and border areas—are effectively projected before the authorities.
