Srinagar, Feb 21: The picturesque Bund along Jhulem snaking in the rare of City centre of Lal Chowk used to be such a plush walkway that leave apart any automobiles, even bicycles weren’t allowed there. This used to be its charm since pre ’47 era of British Residency offices here even as the place remained a favorite hangout for tourists.
 But for now, the Bund seems to be acting a highway as vehicles ply there presumably to bypass the congested commercial hub roads.
 Owing to the prestige of the Bund, which houses some of the prominent tourism related shops like those of handicrafts, fisheries and restaurants, the authorities had constructed concrete barricades on road leading the Bund so that no vehicles but only the pedestrians could use the walkway.
 One such huge barricade used to be in place towards the Abi Guzar end of the Bund. But the barricade has been removed, which has obviously encouraged the movement of the vehicles there.
 “I was shocked to see that our prized Bund has been converted into a highway. This is ridiculous on the part of those at the helm of affairs,” said Zahoor Ahmed.
 The man from uptown said he had planned to take his family for lunch at Pir Zoo islands on the river banks. “But the movement of vehicles on the picturesque Bund played spoilsport and we gave up our lunch plans,” Ahmed complained.
 Meanwhile, the vehicular movement on the famed walkway has drawn flak from various quarters.
 Prominent tour operator and expert on tourism, Nazir Ahmed Bakshi is all fire. “It’s r**e of the Bund, r**e of our heritage,” he lambasted.
 Bakshi, who runs Shiraz Travels in the adjacent Lambert Lane said the picturesque Bund used to be famous for leisure walking.
 “This was one of the major attractions for tourists coming to Srinagar,” he added.
 Bakshi said he and others associated with tourism would fight the issue “tooth and nail.”
 “The government shouldn’t allow it happen… This way we are trying to use every space for our pleasure leaving nothing,” he added.
 Despite repeated attempts the District Development Commissioner Meraj Ahmed Kakroo and the Regional Transport Officer couldn’t be contacted for comment.
 When contacted the SP Traffic Srinagar Maqsood Uz-Zaman said he would look into the matter on priority basis.
 “As of now I can’t say anything but I will definitely visit the spot right now to know the ground reality,” Zaman told Greater Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 IST