Palladium Picket Falls, Traders Ecstatic.
Srinagar: Much to the delight of traders, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vacated bunker, housed in a gutted Palladium cinema hall here in nerve centre of the city, on Friday.
While the bunker will be replaced by a police post, the state government announced to make this summer capital bunker free in next few weeks.
Press Bureau of India correspondent said more than a two-decade old CRPF bunker was abandoned by the CRPF early today.
“Our personnel along with police will continue to keep vigil but they will remain out of the public sight,†a senior CRPF officer told reporters.
The Palladium Cinema bunker is the 43rd bunker removed from Srinagar under the 8-point program announced by the government of India in the aftermath of 2010 unrest.
Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda told reporters at Lal Chowk that a police post will come up at the same place where the CRPF bunker was located.
Talking to reporters Minister of State (Home), Nasir Aslam Wani, announced to make the city bunker- free.
“We will try to make Srinagar bunker free in next few weeks,†he said, adding, “While mobile bunkers may remain, there will be no standing bunker,†he added.
The traders in the City Centre expressed delight as soon as few sand sacks of the bunker at Palladium cinema were removed.
“The moment we came to know that the bunker is being removed, our joy knew no bounds,†president of local traders union said. He said that business activities were hampered by presence of the bunker.
The traders in the Lal Chowk were demanding the removal of the bunker for a long time and in last several years, there were a number of strike by them to press for the demand.
Recently, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah informed the state assembly that his government has identified as many as 15 bunkers in the city to be removed. After this announcement by the Chief Minister, two of the oldest bunkers were removed from Fateh Kadal and Nawab Bazar areas.
