Srinagar, Jan 21: Residents of Zafran Colony in Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar, Tuesday made a fresh appeal to the newly appointed Chairman J&K Bank Ltd to install much needed ATM facility in the area for which people have been craving since past over a decade.
Despite repeated appeals to authorities in the past over ten years, the area remains devoid of ATM facility, causing frustration among the locals.
Fayaz Ahmed Mir, a resident, expressed his discontent, stating that they have been demanding the ATM in the Zaffran Colony for the last ten years, but the repeated pleas continue to fall on deaf ears.
“We have been appealing the concerned authorities especially J&K Bank appeals to establish an ATM in the colony but so far, no step has been taken in this regard. The demand continues to remain unfulfilled since past over ten years,” Mir said. He said that in the past ten years, the colony has witnessed mushrooming boom of new constructions and the number of inhabitants has increased manifold as well.
“We have to go to Pantha Chowk to withdraw money from the ATM. This way, we have to travel almost five to six kilometres just to withdraw money,” he said and appealed the newly appointed J&K Bank chairman to look into the demand of people and address the same forthwith.
Haji Farooq Ahmed, another resident of the colony said they are facing huge inconvenience in absence of the ATM facility in the area. “We have been demanding this facility since past ten years but to no avail,” he said. “Our children have to travel to Pampore or Pantha Chowk for cash withdrawals from ATMs. In this modern era, we lack this basic service.”
Adil Rashid, another resident, urged the newly appointed chairman of J&K Bank to prioritize the installation of an ATM in Zafran Colony. “This is a basic necessity. The new chairman must take this matter seriously and provide relief to the people who have been waiting for years,” he said. “We also appeal to the concerned officials of the J&K Bank who are responsible for installing ATMs. Space and location is no issue as the colony is a vast area and main road is wide enough for the ATM facility.”
Many women also echoed similar views stating that ATM should be installed in the Zaffran Colony in the larger interests of general public. “We are hopeful that this year we will get the ATM facility as there is elected government and the chairman of the Bank is also new. We also appeal to the MLA Lal Chowk assembly constituency Ahsan Pardesi to address this genuine demand and to take up the issues with the concerned officials of the J&K Bank.”
