Sumo Drivers Stage Protest Over Alleged Seizure of Vehicles

The agitated sumo drivers taking exception over the seizure of vehicles said that authorities have been seizing their vehicles for entering the city centre without notifying them any proper route plan to ply on. “After asked not to ply through Jahangir Chowk, we currently are plying from LD (hospital) up to Chanapora”, a sumo driver said adding “Even as plying on the newly directed route plan police came from two opposite directions and seized our vehicles from the stand.”

Asking the authorities to notify a proper route plan, the driver said, “We ask them (authorities) are we supposed to ply from Rambagh or Natipora, if that is the case give us in writing, we won’t enter the City. Provide us with a stand.”
We are facing all kinds of inconvenience due to the prevailing uncertainty, the driver further said.

When contacted, SP Traffic Srinagar Muzaffar Shah told GNS that the seizure of vehicles has nothing to specifically do anything with the route plan. “The vehicles have been seized for different traffic violations, the officer said, adding the action has been taken against the vehicle drivers for choking the vital road along LD hospital besides for overloading the vehicles amid prevailing Covid-19 situation and not wearing seat belts.”

“If somebody has any grievance he is more than welcome to come to the office, however if anyone causes any unnecessary issue in Srinagar, that is not acceptable to us as traffic regulating authority”, the officer said.

Regarding the route plan, the officer said, “Route plan is not something drafted on arbitrary lines, there is a proper committee who drafts it. If there is any issue regarding the same, the best person to approach is the RTO, as mandated under MVA (Motor Vehicles Act).”

Meanwhile, Regional Transport Officer Kashmir feigned ignorance about the issue and declined to comment further.