Scores of traders are questioning the rationale behind the state government move to construct a Marriage Hall in the heart of the ever busy historical Gonikhan market here in Srinagar city. The traders have said that this visionless construction will deprive parking space and furthermore, they will face many hardships on account of it.
On the otherhand, Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) has started work on the construction of a Marriage Hall at Bandook Chawani area of Gonikahn market.
While talking to News Kashmir Magazine, a trade delegation of the area stated – “ This area is the historical commercial hub and it is a criminal joke by the government to build marriage hall here as they had been previously dislocating families from here as it is clearly commercial area, this illegal construction is the clear cut violation of Master Plan and will adversely affect business of the traders. There is no fun of building a Marriage Hall in a commercial, depopulated and busy area like Gonikhan. It serves no purpose and is just being built as political office in name of building marriage hall. Majority of the people have sold off their houses and owners have turned them into business houses now. We don’t find any logic in setting up a Marriage Hall in the area. It will kill the business in entire area .”
Although authorities at SDA on face value maintain the value of building marriage hall in the area, sources have revealed that it is being built under immense political pressure.
