WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has announced a comprehensive anti-encroachment drive across the city to ensure hassle-free pedestrian movement and traffic flow.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Chief Anti-Encroachment Officer, mandates Ward Officers to collaborate with Anti-Encroachment Officers from all zones—East, West, North, and South.
In this regard, a circular has been issued by the Chief Anti Encroachment Officer.
Time and again, it is incumbent upon all the Ward Officers to adhere to the directions imparted from time to time regarding the constitution of Ward Level Teams for removal of Vendors, Hawkers, and Bottle-neckers from the main roads, footpaths, and pavements adhesively with the Anti-Encroachment Officers of Zone East, West, North, & South because the encroachers have created major obstructions, encumbrances, and impediments to the general public by occupying spaces upon footpaths, pavements, and mainstem roads illegally, the circular reads.
It added that appropriately displayed goods should be confiscated to free the footpaths and pavements for pedestrians to walk in a hassle-free manner.
The Ward Officers shall contact Anti-Encroachment Officers of their respective zones for conducting massive Anti Encroachment drives over the spots being detected encroached by unscrupulous vendors during their usual round in the Wards, it added.
Besides, the Ward Officers shall furnish the list of Ward Level constituted teams to be submitted to this office of the undersigned within two days without any laxity. The Anti-Encroachment drives as conducted shall be overseen by the Ward Officers and upload photographic evidence on a daily basis, which shall depict the adherence to the directions imparted through this circular.
As per the circular moreover, the grievances flagged on the Samadhan Portal of SMC must be resolved under the prescribed time-bound period.
Furthermore, the Anti-Encroachment Officers, along with their team, shall conduct massive Anti-Encroachment drives at Jahangir Chowk, Soura, Hazratbal, Fore Shore Road, Lal Chowk, CD Hospital Dalgate, SMHS Hospital, JVC Bemina, Children Hospital Bemina, LD mainstem road, JLNM Hospital Rainawari, nearest places, and Traffic junction points from 10 AM to 5 PM on a daily basis. Furthermore, the confiscated items shall be dumped at the Central Office Store, it added.
It is pertinent to mention here that the prosecutions against the encroachers under Section 277/230 of the Municipal Corporation Act 2000 duly signed by Anti-Encroachment Officers be submitted to this office regularly to extinguish the encroachments in the City, it added.
