Owais Ayoub
Srinagar 05 February (KNB): Ghanta Ghar, a famous concrete structure in the Lal Chowk area of Srinagar, known for clocks hanging on its four sides, remains without the clocks that once added to its charm.
Bajaj Electricals constructed Ghanta Ghar in the 1980s in Lal Chowk, which landed into the territory of politics following the hoisting of tricolour by Murli Manohar Joshi on it on Republic Day. With time different political leaders later used to head towards Ghanta Ghar and made their political statements, or protesters ending their protest under it after taking circuitous routes.
“The Ghanta Ghar used to be very beautiful with four clocks on it moving continuously throughout day and night. But after some time the clocks stopped. Later successive governments just did its renovations and put on clocks which would defunct just within a short period,” said a shopkeeper, Bashir Ahmad Mir.
He further said that the tourists who come here to see the Ghanta Ghar get disillusioned because they could not see what they had expected to. “What is the aim of it? It is now only a long structure with a small roof on it. That is all!,” Mir said.
“The encasing of clocks are leaning against the Ghanta Ghar at the bottom. No one seems serious about looking into the matter. Besides, only concertina wires are lying around it,” said a commuter.
While the Kashmir News Bureau tried to contact several departments like Srinagar Development Authority, Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Road & Building regarding the issue, no one was aware of under whom the famous Ghanta Ghar comes, let alone to get quotes from concerned officials to help Ghanta Ghar get its clocks back. (KNB)