Shifting of GBSB: Police foils march to secretariat in Srinagar, traders arrested

Srinagar, Sept 21: Scores of traders were arrested this morning when Jammu and Kashmir Police foiled their march to Civil Secretariat, seat of the government, against shifting of General Bus Stand Batamaloo (GBSB) to Parimpora on the city outskirts. Meanwhile, a complete shutdown is being observed in Batamaloo area in civil lines today against the shifting of the bus stand. Hundreds of traders from Batamaloo took out a protest march to the Civil Secretariat, demanding that the bus stand be relocated to Parimpora only after providing them shops there. However, security force deployed in the area stopped them from moving ahead. As the protestors didn’t back down, security forces arrested scores of traders, including leaders of various trade unions. The traders have been lodged in a local police station. All the shops remained closed in and around the GDSB from the last 15 days against the government’s move. “If traffic is the only issue, why didn’t the government construct a road from Toto ground as promised by former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed,” a member of the Iqbal trade union told UNI. He said the traders want that the bus stand be moved to Parimpora only when traders were given shops there. “Everyone knows the pace of government work. What will we do if they take away the bus stand now without rehabilitating us,” he added. He said there are 5,500 shops, which will be affected because of the shifting of the bus stand. “More than 10,000 to 15,000 families will be affected with this move by the government. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti should fulfill the promise made by her father with us,” he added. UNI