communars are always at trouble
Tejinder sodhi
Srinagar: Many people in the summer capital of the sate blame that the official vehicles carrying flickering red lights atop their roofs have not only become a nuisance for commoners but a threat top the security and dignity of the people.
Contrary to the chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s claim of transparent and responsive government bringing in austerity measures, the ever swelling official vehicles carrying flickering red lights atop their roofs have resulted in causing problems for the general public of the area.
“It appears that every second citizen has become a VIP after considering number of such vehicles zooming across the summer capital” says an angry auto driver who was halted by a police personnel at the Jahangir chowk while giving way to a VIP car.
Admitting the misuse of the official vehicles brandishing flickering red lights the Minister for law and finance Muzaffar Hussain Beig in an interview sometimes back assured to come up with some stringent measures to check the menace.
Moreover, these official vehicles have become a headache for commoners on the street particularly to the school and college going students.
On several occasions these vehicles are misused by the Kith and Kin of ministers and officials for whom the facility has been given by the government. Not only this the drivers of such vehicles and security personnel along with the concerned minister or official park their vehicles anywhere anytime resulting in traffic jams on congested city roads.
Talking to this reporter Aliya, a university student said, “I daily leave for university and quite often come across such official vehicles which, which are seldom occupied by those who are supposed to avail the facility. The drivers of such cars harass girls like us. They don’t give easy passage to girl’s vehicles; if they do then they indulge in hot pursuit, which could result in a mishap.”
A shopkeeper Reyaz Ahmad in Jahangir Chowk said, “Drivers of such vehicles park them right in the middle of the road irrespective the ministers or the official is sitting inside it or not.”
Just adjacent to famous Lal Chowk where BSF has established a permanent picket, a shopkeeper said, “BSF personnel and the policeman deployed there always remain on toes ensuring hassle- free movement of the traffic but whenever any minister or government official comes to the market there vehicles remain parked in the market causing problems to daily commuters. Are they out of the purview of law?”
While talking to The Kashmir Monitor minister of state for law and parliamentary affairs Manjit Singh said, “Though a formal meeting is likely on cards very soon and government is seriously pondering over the issue.”
Singh further added, “I had discussion with Beigh Shaib and very shortly government will come up with some norms to be observed strictly to check misuse of such vehicles.”
Manjit said, “not only former ministers, former MLAs and retired government officials are unauthorized using red lights atop their vehicles but even office bearer of political parties including congress, Panthers Part and NC are illegitimately using such facility on the vehicles.”
The last government Administrative Department (GAD) order sent to state Transport Authority in 1998 came out with some instructions to check misuse of such official vehicles but hitherto it has not been implemented in letter and spirit.
The GAD order number 1256 of GAD dated 28-09-1998 reads, “ In order to economize on man power and other resources and also to reduce incontinence to general public it is hereby ordered that red lights will be used only on vehicles of ministers and chief secretary and all others shall be removed: flags shall not be used by ministers and senior officers within Srinagar and Jammu cities: no bullet proof cars shall be purchased in future and no pilot jeeps for ministers and senior officers except when on tour aside Srinagar and Jammu cities will be provided.”