Hirra Azmat
Srinagar, Dec 18: Srinagar Municipal Corporation on Tuesday demolished on of the oldest CRPF bunkers at Amira Kadal in the heart of the city.
Located near Hanuman Mandir, the hue bunker encircled with concertina wires had been built in 1988.
An official of Srinagar Municipality Corporation (SMC) said, “The decision to pull down the bunker was taken after deliberations between the administration and the government agencies.”
“The bunker had choked the space in the commercial hub of Srinagar and we plan to develop a park at the site now.”
Terming removal of bunker as a welcome move, a local resident, Bashir Ahmad said, “Its presence on the roadside posed a constant threat as the security picket came under attack several times.”
The removal of the bunker was a long-pending demand of the city residents.
Chief Revenue Officer SMC, Sofi Akbar, said, “The demolition took place as the land originally belonged to SMC.”
Chief Enforcement officer SMC, Mudasir Banday, said: “It’s nothing new. The demolition drive is a regular routine for SMC. We are also planning to remove one more illegal structure in old city soon.”
The process of reducing the number of security pickets in Kashmir was started in late 2010, following recommendations of the three-member panel of interlocutors.
