Srinagar February 13:(KNS) The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Provincial Vice President, Kashmir Ahsan Pardesi on Saturday expressed concern over the government order withregards to the phasing out of all the commercial vehicles after 20 years in the Srinagar.

According to statement issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Expressing dismay over the discriminstion being meted out to comercial vehicle owners of srinagar, Pardesi said the order has put the commercial vehicle owners of Srinagar at disadvantage. " The order reads that the commercial vehicles in Srinagar will be phased out after 20 years, however, the commercial vehicles in the areas other than Srinagar city, it reads, would be phased out after 25 years as per current norms of fitness certificates every six months after its initial period.This is sheer injustice. Reeling under a severe crisis owing to sucessive Covid 19 induced lock downs and tumultous situations since 2016, the Srinagar based comercial vehicle owners are at the receiving end of this order. City based transporters are already struggling to pay their monthly EMIs. With their demunitive earnings they are already finding it hard to make ends of life meet. The order besides reeking of brazen bias against them is unmindful of the hardships,our city based comercial transporters are facing.This order flattens any remote chances of their economic recovery from the current economic slup,"he said. 

He added that no one was against the idea of phasing-out of old and less fuel efficient vehicles. "But there ought to be a proper policy framework for refinancing them and tackling with their pre existing debts. They are already struggling to stay afloat due to the lingering loans, soaring inflation and hike in fuel rates. This order will push them to a point of no return," he said. 

He demanded that the order should rationalised by extending the phasing- out time period for Srinagar city based comercial transport owners from 20 to 25 years subject to fitness tests. He also sought a comprehensive refinancing policy for such transporters,"he said. (KNS)