Srinagar, Oct 31: In a bid to avoid traffic mess close to Eid-ul-Azha, people seem to be preparing well ahead of time by thronging the City centre markets for the festive shopping.
 Even though the Eid in Kashmir is scheduled to be celebrated on coming Monday, scores of shoppers thronged the commercial hub of Lal Chowk, adjoining Residency Road and Poloview areas a week before the event.
 
THE CHANGE
 Usually there used to be more of rush in the last two-three days ahead of the festival. But this time it’s a different scene. A big number of customers could be seen making purchases at popular shops like The Blue Fox.
 “Coming to the City centre on Arfa is often troublesome because of traffic mess so we preferred the early shopping. Moreover as the kids were free enjoying post exam holidays so we availed the opportunity,” said Afshan Khan a mother while buying clothing for her son.
 Similar were the views of Muhammad Ibraaheem who had come to buy clothes and other commodities from the City centre.
 Shopkeepers too echoed the shoppers’ views. Nadeem Ahmed Qasba who runs the Blue Fox acknowledged the change. “Alhamdulillah, we are doing good business,” he said.
 
‘POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT’
 Observers said given the fact that most people want to go for shopping from the City centre they were trying it early to avoid their “past horrible experience of traffic chaos.”
 “It’s a positive development … You can call it better planning through effective coordination which the people have started developing out of their past experience of traffic chaos,” said Nasir Mirza, a teacher at Kashmri University.
 “This actually shows that the buyer has become more wiser now to get rid of traffic mismanagement,” he added.

OFFICIALS SPEAK
 The Traffic Police on the other hand has its own take on the issue. “Shoppers are coming to markets for the festive shopping but that doesn’t mean we’ll take the coming days easy for traffic management,” said Superintendent of Police Traffic City Maqsood Ul Zaman.
 “We will have to keep our special traffic regulation arrangements like diversions… in place for the last two – three days,” Zaman told Greater Kashmir.
 Interestingly Zaman said the men-in-blue were so concerned about the traffic rush in the coming days that a meeting would soon be called to finalize the arrangements. “And that all the stakeholders including traders will be taken into confidence,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST