Srinagar gets maiden wire-free, exclusive pedestrian market

Srinagar, May 9: Under the much-hyped smart city project, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, has got a first of its kind wire-free and exclusively pedestrian market in the commercial Hub area of Lal Chowk.
Polo View market that usually remained busy with the vehicular movement and the rush of the pedestrians, especially the tourists, wore a new look as the works carried out by the Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) have turned the road-stretch into an exclusively pedestrian and wire-free market.
CEO, SSCL, Athar Aamir Khan while talking to the reporters, said that all the electricity and communications have been laid underground in the market while the market would be exclusively pedestrian.
As the work in the market is about to be completed, the shopkeepers here have expressed joy and happiness over the new look of the market.
Haji Muhammad Ismail, President of Polo View Association said that although the work has got affected by 70 per cent since the time work on the market was started.
However, he said that they are expecting a good business ahead as the hefty sum has been spent for the developmental works and beautifying the tourist market
Under smart city, the market has been renovated. As the work has almost completed, we are expecting a good business ahead, Haji Muhammad Ismail said.
Javaid Ahmad, another shopkeeper in the market said that it has become a new market now. “Earlier, the tourists used to park their vehicles outside the shops, but now the people will now park their vehicles at the designated parking slots and will get a good space to walk and visit the market,” he said.
Ahmad further said that the business was almost zero per cent since the work was started in the market, but as the work is about to be completed, the business has started gaining pace again.
Muhammad Amin Khan, another shopkeeper, said that it is for the first time that Srinagar has witnessed any market, which is exclusively pedestrian. “After a change, the business will start reviving again,” he said.