National Conference on Thursday demanded that the Government allows vehicular traffic on the restored Zero Bridge as per public demand and in order to alleviate the traffic woes of the city. “The purpose for which the previous Omar Abdullah-led Government restored the bridge is being defeated by the Government’s decision to not allow vehicular traffic on the bridge”, NC Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani said in a statement issued today.“The work on the restoration of the Zero Bridge was initiated by the previous NC-led Government and then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was very keen to get the project completed in time. However, there was delay in completion due to the devastating floods of September, 2014. The design as well as the execution of the project was done by the previous Government. Now, while the PDP-BJP Government is free to claim credit for this project, they should not punish the people by not allowing traffic on the bridge,” NC Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani stated.
The NC Provincial President said the Government was exerting pressure on the people through the Police to not press for their genuine demand of allowing traffic on the bridge. “People were protesting on the bridge for the entire day on Wednesday but the Administration is unwilling to take notice of their genuine demands. The Government exerted its influence to get the protests blacked-out in the media and continues to use the Police to harass and pressurize the protesters”, Nasir Aslam Wani further added.“There is a systematic plan to allot shops on the bridge to chosen people – kith and kin of the ruling dispensation and this is one of the main reasons for the Government’s reluctance to allow traffic on the bridge. This undemocratic, authoritarian behavior of the Government is extremely unfortunate and condemnable”, the NC Provincial President stated. (KNS)