PARKING PAUPERS

For more than 125 days, neither the parking lots nor the octroi posts worked. Since they have paid hefty sums to get these spaces to earn a livelihood, Umar Mukhtar reports about their crisis they are desperate to find an answer for

- Umar Mukhtar

Every morning, on the banks of desolated Dal Lake, five kiosks were set at the popular Makai Point. By late forenoon this spot on the Foreshore Road smelts of mutton roast fragrance. They are the master Seakh Tuj (barbeque) makers who roast fresh marinated mutton. These kiosks, equidistant from each other, have lot of room in between for a grand parking space, something rare on the Boulevard that usually remains crowded for most of the year.

These stalls have resumed business almost after 10 0 days owing to the situation that emerged after August 5. As they are struggling to revive their bread-and-butter activity, the space they occupy is still incurring huge losses. Basically a municipal car parking slot, this space was allotted to Nazir Ahmad Dar, for a bid of Rs 10, 93, 111 on July 27, 2019. He has made the payment to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. In the subsequent 365 days, he is supposed to earn ​this amount in addition to his profit.

This amount was polled by the five kiosk owners who were already in the Seakh Tuj business on the same spot. “We were hopeful of a good business year so we decided to go for the bid,” said Dar’s partner, Mohammad Mahsheed. “Everyone of us contributed more than Rs 100 thousands each.” Whoever wants to relish the barbeques, had to park his vehicle there against Rs 20 rupees ticket.

Prior to the abrogation of Article 370, the Makai Point was literally inundated with people as hundreds of cars would stay parked till the visitors treated their taste buds. The earnings were better. As around 200 cars would park in a day, they would earn Rs 4000 from the parking slot alone.