Batote, Oct 1: Commuters on Srinagar-Jammu highway had a harrowing time on Saturday after thousands of vehicles got caught in chronic traffic jam between Patnitop and Batote stretch.
 Though the main reason of the traffic jam was said to be goods laden truck, which developed some technical snag in the middle of the road, absence traffic policemen added to the chaos.
 “Vehicular movement remained disrupted for five hours due to absence of traffic policemen. It resumed only after paramilitary CRPF men swung into action to regulate the traffic,” witnesses said.
 “Thousands of vehicles were caught in serpentine queues, causing great inconvenience to commuters,” Rakesh Gupta told Greater Kashmir over phone.
 “The highway had been witnessing frequent jams due to mismanagement on the part of traffic authorities. The department has not deployed cops on the stretches vulnerable to traffic jams,” Gupta added.
 “Traffic cops did not bother to clear the road. The authorities should take cognizance and initiate action against the traffic policemen personnel for carelessness,” said another commuter, Abrar Ahmed of south Kashmir.
 The children and women traveling in the vehicles were the worst sufferers amid scorching heat.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 2 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST