Don’t hide beauty

The government has utilized huge amounts for the development in Srinagar under the smart city project in a bid to beautify the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir to attract the tourists across the globe and ensure better facilities to the local populace here. Since the roads and roadsides have been developed by the government in the recent past, a major portion of it remains under illegal occupation of the street vendor, giving no sense of utilizing the funds. The funds that have been utilized by the government should end up with a positive outcome, but it seems that a huge amount has been spent for some people to give them a better and developed place to occupy it and push the pedestrians as well as the commuters to the wall. In Srinagar’s Lal Chowk area, the roadsides and footpaths were redeveloped by the government, but it makes no sense as the beautification remains hidden from the visitors due to the illegal occupation of the roadsides by the street vendors. The funds being utilized should not go waste at any cost; therefore, the concerned must take a step in this regard and ensure that the redeveloped roads will help in achieving the target of attracting the visitors and will not become a space for some people, who occupy a huge space at the public place. The illegal occupation of the roadsides is not only hindering the basic objective of the government, but also ends up in misery to the people. Therefore, it would be better for the concerned to take concrete measures to shift the street vendors rather than providing them a helping hand to hide the beautification of the roads and roadsides here.