Srinagar, Feb 21: Shopkeepers of Khawaja Bazar whose establishments are coming under proposed road widening have demanded that they be allotted shops in the adjacent area while those whose houses are also scheduled to be removed have sought compensation prior to any demolition.
 Many such issues have popped up in the old City, the Shaher-e-Khaas thereby affecting the work progress on the much awaited road widening in this congested area.

THE SHOP ISSUE
 Around a dozen shops are proposed to be demolished under road widening while some other are to be removed for beautification of Hazrat Naqshbandh Sahib (RA) shrine there. But the shopkeepers are reluctant to buy the government assurance.
 Feroz Ahmad, a shopkeeper at Khawaja Bazar flanked by his colleagues said: “We are demanding that the government should provide us shop for shop as we won’t accept cash.”
 “I have spent all my life in establishing business here, now authorities want us to vacate this area and in lieu they are offering us pity amount. We won’t accept it,” Feroz and others said.

THE HOUSE ISSUE
 There are more of woes with regard to rehabilitation. People whose houses and shops have already been demolished under the developmental plan said they were not being given the payments as promised.
 “Government is simply concerned about the demolition, but doesn’t bother about the inhabitants,” the locals said.
 “Irony is that the authorities don’t pay the rehabilitation money to the affected persons in advance, but they make them unduly wait for long,” added Fayaz Ahmed Sofi, a local.

THE COMPENSATION AWAITED
 Going by the complaints of people whose houses have already been demolished, others are reluctant to vacate their dwellings.
 Ghulam Jeelani whose house was dismantled recently said: “I have not received even a single penny from the authorities.”
 Others who were present there said that the government was offering them Rs 10 lakhs in lieu of land.
 “But in reality they end up giving Rs 5 lakh while the rest of the amount is yet to be sanctioned,” the affected said.
 “We want government should give us plots, where we can construct houses because the land prices have increased manifolds and it is virtually impossible to get a plot of land in City for Rs 5 lakhs,” said Aijaz Ahmad a local.

OFFICIALS SPEAK
 Deputy District Commissioner Srinagar, Baseer Khan told Greater Kashmir that he will look into the matter and take appropriate steps.
 He however maintained that the concerned collector could provide better information about the project.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 IST