Srinagar, Sept 10: Around four lakh vehicles zoomed past the City streets Friday with mere 250 odd traffic cops available to man the huge traffic. Pro-freedom leader Syed Ali Geelani had announced relaxation in connection with Arafa as thousands of people came out for shopping ahead of the Muslim festival.

 Since morning, the City streets remained busy with market activities resulting in considerable traffic rush and jams.

 Sources said the, the Traffic Police Department monitored the inflow of the vehicles at the four main entry points to the City.

 While the inflow from north Kashmir was monitored at Parimpora crossing, Pantha Chowk and Rambagh roads were used to record the traffic from south, central Kashmir and the Srinagar suburb.

 The Habak-Pandach roads, were eyed to count the inflow of vehicles from Ganderbal and adjoining areas.

 A senior traffic police official said close to the Friday prayers around two lakh vehicles entered the City from the entry points.

 This number added to the two odd lakh vehicles registered in the City, he said.
 Officials saidthe City centre had to bear rush of some three lakh vehicles.

 And given the presence of street vendors and the shoppers, only half of the roads in commercial areas like Lal Chowk, Regal Chowk and Hari Singh High Street, were left open for the traffic to ply.

 The biggest hindrance in flow of traffic at Lal Chowk, as per observers, remained the under construction  park, which the Tourism department has constructed by eating away half the road width.

 Despite severe public resentment over the roadside construction of park in the commercial hub, the government has been reluctant to give up the “controversial project.”

 meanwhile, the workforce-starved traffic police had mere 250 cops deployed in the City as the government failed to provide additional contingency, despite the expected rush for the festival shopping and prayers.

 In fact, the total traffic cops in the summer capital including senior officials and the administrative staff is only around 250.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 11 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST