Srinagar, Jan 21: Come June, Srinagar city will be free from the street vendors.
Jammu and Kashmir government has identified five technology driven smart vending zones to rehabilitate 3000 street vendors.
Vendors have occupied a sizeable space in major markets of the city including Batamaloo, Dalgate, Jehangir Chowk, Polo View, Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), Qamarwari, Parimpora, Hazratbal, Kak Sarai Karan Nagar and other areas of downtown.
Last year, Srinagar district administration in collaboration with Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) had identified five vending zones to rehabilitate around 3000 registered street vendors.
Khalsa School Magarmal Bagh, Sector 6 Batamaloo, Sector 5 Dandarkha Batamaloo, Huzuri Bagh near Children Park and SRTC Pratap Park were identified for the specified vending zones.
“We are going to establish smart vending zones in five identified places. Margarmal Bagh will be a model vending zone,” said an official of Smart City Limited (SCL).
Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been framed and each smart vending zone will cost around Rs 4.5 crore.
“Margarmal Bagh will cater to 200 vendors. Sector 6 Batamaloo has capacity of accommodating around 400 vendors. Sector 5 Danderkha Batamaloo will house around 500 vendors while Hazuri Bagh will cater to 150 vendors and remaining 533 will be accommodated in SRTC Pratap Park,” the official said.
Of the 380 registered street venders at HSHS, 200 will be accommodated at Magarmal Bagh.
All zones will be technology driven and customer friendly. The vending cots will be fitted with GPS, solar panels, inbuilt refrigerator depending on the vending activity. The cots will have drinking water facility with LED display boards, inbuilt organic and inorganic dustbins.
Vending cots will be colour coded depending upon the vending activity. “For example vendor selling fruits and veggies will have green color code while vendor selling garments, electronics, shoe wear and other items will have different colour coding”, an official said.
Statistical Officer Planning, Smart City Limited (SCL), Yawar Hamid said work on Magarmal Bagh will start soon and the project will be completed in June-July .
“By Geo-tagging them we will have a complete knowledge if any vendor will shift from the vending zone,” he added.
