Market’s ailing infrastructure and civic apathy take centre stage as four contests for top post
Wahid Rafiqi
Bandipora, August 2: Elections for the President of the Bandipora Traders Federation are scheduled to be held on August 4 after a gap of several years.
The polling will take place from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Municipal Council Hall Bandipora, where both voting and counting will be conducted on the same day. According to the Federation’s election board, a total of 1,260 shopkeepers from the General Bus Stand to Kaloosa Market are eligible to cast their votes.
Four candidates are contesting the election: Shamshad Ahmad Bhat alias Lala Kuchhai, who previously held the position; Naseer Ahmad Mir; Wali Mohammad; and Ali Mohammad Hajjam, who is contesting for the first time.
The election has triggered renewed political activity within the trading community, and discussions around the deteriorating condition of Bandipora Market have gained traction among both traders and the general public.
The market, which serves as the commercial center of Bandipora district, has been facing a host of unresolved civic and infrastructural problems for years. Since Bandipora was designated as a district headquarters in 2007, there has been no significant development in the market area.
The town continues to rely on a centuries-old main road that is inadequate for current levels of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Despite increasing congestion, no new link roads or alternate routes have been constructed. The lack of proper car parking facilities forces shoppers and traders to park their vehicles in narrow bylanes and alleys, often leading to disputes with local residents.
Drainage infrastructure in the market is also in a poor state. Even moderate rainfall frequently causes flooding in the streets, with water often entering shops due to clogged or broken drains.
The situation is further compounded by damaged electric poles and overhead wires hanging precariously across the market, posing a constant safety risk.
Additionally, the complete absence of public toilets in the commercial area continues to be a major inconvenience for both shopkeepers and visitors.
Traders and residents alike are hoping that the newly elected Federation president will take up these longstanding issues with the administration. While the Traders Federation’s primary responsibility is to represent the business community, it is also expected to act as a liaison with government authorities to ensure the town’s commercial infrastructure meets the demands of a district headquarters.
As election day nears, the outcome is expected to influence not just leadership within the trading body but also the direction of future advocacy and engagement with civic authorities aimed at resolving Bandipora Market’s chronic issues.
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