Inadequate Road Infra Causes Frequent Traffic Snarls In City

SRINAGAR— An inadequate road network in Srinagar city is lead­ing to the frequent traffic jams, commuters and officials said.

Authorities have failed to keep pace with the number of vehicles which ply on the roads in Srinagar and additional road network constructed annually doesn’t match with near seven percent increase in vehicular traffic. Despite the claims by government that various steps have been taken to streamline traffic in Srinagar, the city wit­nesses massive traffic jams dur­ing which thousands of people remain stuck for hours.

The residents of of Batamaloo, Qamarwari, Bemina, Habba Kadal and Maharja Bazar said that traffic department has failed to streamline the flow of ve­hicles. Many said that the road infrastructure was not adequate and the number of vehicles that get added to the traffic set up has increased manifold in the past few years. Frequent traffic jams are being witnessed both on the main roads as well as the interior roads. Pedestrians who walk in the interior roads complained that frequent traffic jams hap­pen due to improper functioning of “traffic lights” as well as lack of regulations. Some complained that it takes around one hour to cross the distance of 15 minutes. Moreover the frequent halt by the passenger vehicles has added to the woes of commuters.

A student, Junaid Ahmad Khan, who travels daily in a bus from Teng Pora to Soura, said, “The slow pace of the minibuses not only wastes my precious time but leads to the frequent traffic jams.”

Also the commuters said that the failure of authorities to put in place measures for traffic regulation in evening hours was responsible for traffic jams. They said they are facing a tough time in the evening as traffic cops are not found on the roads during evening hours. During the peak hours, government employees, students, and the businessmen are the worst sufferers.

Massive traffic gridlocks are also witnessed at Clock Tower, Re­gal Chowk, Dalgate, Rajbagh Zero Bridge, Hari Singh High Street. A commuter, Bashir Ahmad Mir, said that the “illegal car parking from PoloView along Amira Kadal is one of the reasons responsible for the traffic gridlocks. Traffic authorities are in deep slumber. They do not take timely action against the traffic violators.”

Another commuter Tajamul Hamza said that “it took me almost forty five minutes to travel from Regal Chowk to Jahangir Chowk. Not a single traffic cop was present to regulate the traffic today.”

“Footpaths are occupied by street vendors. There is no space for pedestrians to even walk. They are forced to walk on road which worsens the traffic jam,” said Abdul Majeed.

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