Srinagar, June 06: The chronic shortage of adequate parking spaces in Srinagar’s principal commer-cial districts is causing mounting concern, with both traders and shoppers voicing frustration over its impact on business and daily life.
As vehicle numbers continue to rise, bustling marketplaces such as Lal Chowk, Nowhatta, Khawaja Bazar, Goni Khan, Khanyar, Khayam, Bohrikadal, and Maharaja Bazar are struggling to accommodate visitors. The scarcity is discouraging potential customers, leading to a significant fall in footfall and revenues. Shopkeepers say the lack of structured parking is deterring consumers. “Each day, fewer people walk into our shops,” said Mohammad Yaseen, a shopkeeper in Lal Chowk. “Customers avoid coming here because they don’t want to deal with the parking chaos. They prefer areas with more accessible parking—this is a huge blow to our earnings.”
Yousuf Sofi, a vendor at Maharaja Bazar, added, “Even if people find parking, they often have to walk long distances, which becomes inconvenient in winter or during rain. Instead, they opt for shopping centres with dedicated parking.”
Zahoor Ahmad, who owns a clothing store in Goni Khan, said: “With online shopping already cutting into our business, the parking issue adds to our woes. Even promotional offers don’t work if cus-tomers can’t get here easily.” While limited roadside parking has been introduced under the Smart City initiative, traders argue it is insufficient. “The space simply doesn’t meet the demand,” said Tariq Ahmad, a footwear shop owner in Lal Chowk. “People circle the area for 15–20 minutes and eventu-ally leave. We lose at least 30 percent of our daily customers.”
Trade bodies are calling on the authorities to act. Aijaz Shahdar, President of the Kashmir Trade Alli-ance, remarked, “We have raised this issue repeatedly. The government must prioritise parking infra-structure if it wants to revive traditional markets.” He emphasised the need for multi-level parking facilities, stating that “They are essential. These structures could accommodate hundreds of vehicles without occupying large ground areas.”
Manzoor Ahmad Kar, spokesman for the Goni Khan Traders Association, said proposals for parking zones had been made, but implementation was lacking. “We identified potential sites, but nothing materialised. This inaction is hurting us.” Local residents are equally dismayed. “We spend too much time searching for parking, only to end up in no-parking zones and get fined,” said Shamima Zargar of Zaina Kadal. When contacted, a senior Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) official admitted the issue was acute in Downtown areas. “We are working on identifying new parking zones, but space is extremely limited,” he said, requesting anonymity.
An official from Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) acknowledged the challenge but said there were no immediate plans for multi-level parking. Meanwhile, an officer from Srinagar Smart City Lim-ited (SSCL) said, “We are focusing on optimising existing parking areas and plan to develop new loca-tions shortly.” For now, the parking dilemma continues to plague Srinagar’s markets, leaving both businesses and consumers with few options and little hope for immediate relief.
