Srinagar: Following the coronavirus lockdown, the multilevel parking projects in Srinagar have been delayed as most of the non-local workers have left Kashmir.
The two multi-level parking projects have already missed the deadline of completion. These projects are being managed by the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) and were to be finished by May 2020. An official at the SDA said that the projects could not be completed due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Executive Engineer at SDA, Javeed Hussain Qadri, told Kashmir Reader, “The Sheikh Bagh parking project has only 40% work complete, while the State Motor Garage project in Lal Chowk has 70% work complete.”
He added, “Although in Sheikh Bagh they have started parking facility, but it will take more time to complete.”
The authority has been facing many problems since last year’s lockdown began in August. The construction process of these two parking lots was started in April 2017. The parking lots are part of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), a scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2015.
The State Motor Garage (SMG) and the Sheikh Bagh parking projects are being built at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore and Rs 25 crore, respectively, through the AMRUT scheme
At the SMG parking lot site, out of 4 storeys, 3 storeys have been completed, over an area of 13.2 kanals. They will accommodate about 390 vehicles.
The Sheikh Bagh multi-level parking project is being constructed over an area of 13.11 kanals and will accommodate about 460 vehicles.
Srinagar city has a major problem of parking space with shopkeepers as well as general public parking their vehicles on the road side, which leads to traffic jams. The completion of these two parking lots will provide much relief from the problems of traffic jams and haphazard parking on the road side.

NAZIMA SIDIQ