Sopore: Residents, traders and mohalla representatives from Sopore town and Zaingeer raised concerns over traffic congestion, illegal parking, drug abuse and other civic and social issues during a Thana Diwas programme chaired by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sopore Neha Jain at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Sopore on Sunday.
Participants called for measures to regulate commercial vehicle movement, prevent private vehicles from being used for commercial purposes, curb unauthorised parking and improve traffic flow through the construction of dividers in the main town. They also highlighted concerns over vehicles operating without valid documents, rash driving and road safety.
The interaction also covered drug peddling, cybercrime, domestic violence, anti-social activities and alleged harassment of female students. Participants raised concerns over disorder outside schools and the sale of cigarettes and junk food within 200 metres of educational institutions and hospitals.
They also sought adequate police deployment during festivals and public gatherings, fair treatment by police personnel and improved coordination between the police and the trading community.
Jain assured participants that traffic management issues would be addressed on priority and that ongoing works would be completed shortly. She said her office was open to all citizens and emphasised the need for greater interaction with women to address issues affecting them.
Police officers assured participants that genuine grievances would be addressed at the earliest and stressed the importance of enabling people to carry out their livelihoods with dignity.
The participants assured the police of their cooperation in maintaining peace and addressing social problems, particularly drug abuse. They also suggested that mohalla representatives be invited regularly to such interaction programmes.
Additional SP Sopore, SDPO Sopore, SHO Sopore, officers in charge of police posts at Bus Stand, Warpora and Fruit Mandi, and personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) attended the programme.