THE traffic mess in the summer capital of Srinagar is growing with each passing day and there is a dire need of new road /widening projects.  I too have a plan in this regard.
 I am not any expert on the subject, but have just invested commonsense in conceiving a blueprint that can get rid of the traffic mess on logical grounds: That too at a lesser cost. My plan goes like this.

SOLUTION FOR SHAHR-E-KHAAS
 Most of the old City traffic takes the Munawarabad road to reach other parts of the City particularly, south City, south Kashmir and the Airport.
 For this, the vehicles move ahead on the TRC square-Abdullah Bridge, Jawahir Nagar track, or the MA Road Jehangir Chowk Airport Road route. This results in frequent traffic jams on the said routes.
 The mess can be avoided if a flyover is constructed straight from the Munawarbabad Road crossing (near Sangarmaal) to Silk Factory Road near the Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School.  The flyover will snake over the football field and Poloview Road and then cross river Jhelum to reach the Convent road. This way the Shahr-e-Khaas traffic can be diverted better. Ahead, the road is quite wide up to Jawahir Nagar Bund. What is required there onwards is construction of a bridge across the flood spill channel. There onwards the vehicles could be diverted towards Rambagh, Pantha Chowk and Natipora(through Mahjoor Nagar). The road to Pantha Chowk via Padshahi Bagh could serve as a lifeline for the traffic to south Kashmir and Jammu.

ULTI-WINGED FLYOVER AT RAMBAGH CROSSING
 A multi winged flyover at the Ram Bagh crossing having links with the Barzulla Road, Rambagh and Natipora , and road along the fold spill channel needs to be constructed. This will give a smooth flow of traffic on the roads unlike the present jams.

SOLUTION FOR NORTH
 Vehicles coming from north Kashmir areas have to take Badshah Chowk route in reaching places like Dalgate and Nishat. If a bridge is connected over Jhelum between Shaheed Gunj and Red Cross Road, the load on Budshah Chowk could be diluted.
 The bride can be constructed at the site between the office of the Divisional Commissioner and Old secretariat.

BURBARSHAH-MUNAWARABAD ROAD WIDENING
 The Barbarshah Road should be widened upto Munawarabad. This would further decongest the traffic as has been explained in the plan above.

SHAMSHAAN ROAD WIDENING
 The road between the Karan Nagar and Tatto Ground via Shamshaan Bhoomi be widened because the present narrow road is a major bottleneck for vehicles driving down the road as it connects the City not only with areas like Bemina, Parimpora , HMT and Qamarwari but also with the entire north Kashmir. Be it Varmul, Kupwara of Sopur.
 Hope the authorities like my proposal. As about writing the opinion, I had mere one objective. To do something for the historic City of Srinagar, of which I happen to be a resident: a pride Srinagarite. Thank you.

Abdul Hameed
Driver, UEED

(The ideas expressed are author’s own and not of the organization he works for)

Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST