Srinagar, June 27: Believe it or not. At-least 62 % of the Valley’s total traffic –amounting to 1,71,568 vehicles –zoom past the City centre of Lal Chowk and its vicinity,  a study has revealed.
 The study completed in May this year by Traffic police department states that out of the total of 2,77,198 vehicles registered with the Regional Transport Office Kashmir till March 31, 2010 as many as 1,71,568 vehicles on an average ply in the City centre, everyday. This is apart from the tourist cabs and other non-local vehicles plying in the City, the number of which swells with the tourist rush.
 Of the Valley’s total vehicle population, 59 % of the 71,048 commercial vehicles and the 63 % of 2,06,150 non-commercial travel to City centre.
 Officials said the study has been done to apprize the government about rush of vehicles the City centre, a hub of frequent traffic jams so that the regulation policy could be revamped accordingly.
 “Strenuous study of routes and vehicle was done for the entire month of May,” said a police official.
 The Traffic police department as sample area for the study, had demarcated the stretch between: Jahengir Chowk and Dalgate, TRC crossing via MA Road and Amira Kadal, which amounts to some six kilometers of total road length in the three operational lanes.
 It was found that 66 % of the 5794 Ambulances move via the City centre route while as 54.19 percent of Valley’s total of 6237 minibuses route the same way.
 The topper district of Srinagar has no nearby competitor from other districts in Kashmir Valley. Even though district Islamabad comes next to the summer capital in the traffic rush, the rush is four times less at 14.54 % of the total traffic.
 As about the cars, 60.93 % of the 79, 243 cabs zoom past the Lal Chowk and adjacent roads like MA Road and the Jehangir Chowk. Islamabad seconds the City rush of the cars. But it’s six times lesser at 9.95 percent of the total Valley cars.
 40 % of the 14,299 taxis particularly Tata Sumos ply in the City hub. Of the 11,100 auto-rickshaws playing in the Valley, 89.08 percent of them zoom past Lal Chowk, almost everyday. This is because the major chunk of three-wheelers are registered in the City.
 About the load carrier rickshaws 46% of the 9,593 vehicles come to Lal Chowk.
 The number of two wheelers moving on the City centre streets is again high at 65 % of the 105,343 registered vehicles.
 For those who think tractors, tippers and trucks don’t come to Lal Chowk, here’s an eye-opener. In the late hours, once the restriction period is over, 31% of the 5642 tractors, 50 % of the 1245 tippers and 62.09 of the 18,187 trucks registered in the Valley ply past the City centre during the early morning and the late night hours.
 Besides, of the other heavy duty vehicles plying in the Valley, the City centre bears the peak load viz 74 % of the 150 platforms, 78 % of the 1244 Tankers and 100 % of the registered 53 trolleys.
 Highly placed sources said the then Superintendent of Police Traffic, Srinagar, Shokat Shah had got the study done to compile a proposal for effective traffic management.
 When contacted the Shah, who is now SP City north, confirmed that the study was done in his tenure.
 “We did many such studies and this one was just one of them to analyse the traffic problem on engineering lines and seek remedies accordingly,” Shah told Greater Kashmir.
 “But now I am no party to it,’ he clarified.

WHAT COMMERCIAL HUB BEARS
Cars/wagons 48,282=60.93 % of 79, 243 

Ambulances 3,824=66 % of 5794

Minibuses buses 3,380=54.19 % 6237

Taxi and Tata sumo 5,719=40 % of 14,299

Jeeps 3,775=81.41 % of 4633

Auto 9,887=89.08 % of 11,100

Auto load carrier of 4,412=46% of 9,593

Two wheelers 68,472=65 % of 105,343 w

Source Traffic police study
AMAZING FIGURES
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Islamabad town seconds the City centre rush but is four times less at 14.54 % of total Valley traffic.
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The town also seconds the Lal Chowk stretch in terms of number of cars. But the same is six times less at 9.95 % than Srinagar.
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The traffic in Kargil is 54 times less than Srinagar 1.04 percent. Mere 0.59 percent of the Valley cars ply in the hill district.

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