Srinagar, Nov 2: Government’s failure to revamp public transport routing in the City seems be a key cause of traffic mess, which for the past four months of ongoing unrest, turns worst on relaxation days in line with the Hurriyat Calender. The same came true on Tuesday when thousands of vehicles rolled out on the streets as veteran pro-freedom leader Syed Ali Geelani announced a daylong break.
 Interestingly, the jams were more on the routes of public transport vehicles than elsewhere as was witnessed at places like Jehangir Chowk, Batamaloo, Amira Kadal, Naaz Crossing, Residency Road Dalgate and Rambagh Bagh.

ROUTING DELAY
 Sources in Traffic department said a revamp in routing of the public transport vehicles was pending for the past over a decade despite inconvenience being faced by the people.
 They said most of the route plans are obsolete and lead to congestion on some routes and subsequently have a “cascading effect” on the entire track.

THE EXAMPLE
 Instead of a straight track, buses heading towards Shahr-e-Khaas from Lal Chowk have to ply via Amira Kadal-Maharaja Bazar-Hazuri Bagh- Lal Mandi road to reach Dalgate where from they move ahead.
 This is not only an additional drive of four odd miles for the commuters but also furthers the jams as the buses have to pass via congested Maharaja Bazar and Hazuri Bagh areas.
 Moreover, the failure of traffic police to regulate traffic on the Amira Kadal bridge adds to the mess and this leads to a major gridlock in the City centre and adjoining Hazuri Bagh area.

RTA FACTOR
 The routes have to be devised by Road Transport Authorities (RTA), a consortium of various departments concerned with the management of the City traffic. The RTA is headed by deputy development commissioner while the traffic police and Regional Transport Office are its key members.
 But over the years the RTA, as per sources, has failed to evolve a new “hassle-free” transport plan. While both RTO and the Traffic police claim to have formulated route plans, none is being executed.

PAST PROPOSALS
 Pertinently, in 2009, some new routing plans were reportedly floated by the traffic police department. Two Ring Roads were in proposal for the City: an outer Ring Road from Batmaloo, Pantha Chowk,  Batwara, Dalgate, Gupkar road, Foreshore road and back to Batmaloo via Ali Jan road. Second, the Inner Ring Road for the areas around Lal Chowk. It would go from Batmaloo, Magarmal Bagh, Rajbagh, Foreshore Road and back to Batmaloo via Ali Jan Road, sources said.
  The authorities also planned a “small traffic service” for the inner areas of the City, adequate enough to cater the public rush.
 They said the traffic flow at Lal Chowk would be “minimized to minimize public inconvenience”.
 The department had also proposed color coding for the buses as per their speed and route plans.  Different color strips would be painted on the chassis of the buses to mark speed and the route, sources said.
 A senior official in traffic department said immediate revamp was need of the hour.
“But we can’t do it of our own. It needs to be resolved at a high level meeting of concerned departments,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Nov 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Nov 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Nov 2010 00:00:00 IST