Srinagar, Aug 10: State government’s alleged callousness towards Shaher-e-Khaas yet again came to fore this afternoon when thousands made it to Jamia Masjid Nowhatta for congregational Friday prayers but got stuck in traffic jams. Even Valley’s head priest and senior separatist leader, Mirwaiz Dr Umar Farooq couldn’t get a way out but had to helplessly bear the chaos.

STRANDED MIRWAIZ
 Mirwaiz was seen stuck in the jam for around half-an-hour near the central Masjid amid deafening horns as vehicles struggled to move ahead but could not find a way.
 For the priest, the traffic trouble erupted soon after he left the historic Masjid after addressing a mammoth gathering there.
 Mirwaiz’s blue Scorpio had barely driven a few yards out of the Jamia Masjid premises that his sedan was seen stuck, nowhere to go. Around, it was all chaos. 

‘HAVE PATIENCE’
 As people got to see the senior separatist leader stuck in traffic jam, they tried to pave way for him. But Mirwaiz didn’t want to “add to inconvenience for others” through such efforts and so preferred to bear with the situation.

THE OUTCRY
 This triggered resentment from the people of Nowhatta and others who accused the state government of “deliberately putting the area in trouble.”
 “There is no presence of government machinery in Nowhatta and adjoining areas of Shaher-e-Khaas… They have left it at the mercy of god,” the residents said.

ADMIN CAUGHT NAPPING
Even though the Jamia Masjid witnesses unusual surge in the number of Musalees during the ongoing month of Ramazan when thousands prefer offering congregation Salah there, particularly on Fridays; arrangements were not visible amid gridlock of vehicles, which stretched upto two kilometres around Nowhatta.
 Observers said keeping in view the expected rush, the government should have kept special arrangements in place. “If this was the plight today, what will be the scene on Jum’atul Vida?” argued a prominent academician who was also stuck in the jam.

THE DISCRIMINATION
 While the government has been utilizing most of its resources with regard to Traffic management in the civil lines, the old City looks ignored.  Of the 250 odd cops with the Traffic police Srinagar, almost 95% of them are understood to be catering to the VIP routes including Gupkar, Civil Secretariat and Airport Roads.

PAYING SPECIAL ATTENTION?
 Most of the vital roads and junctions in old City are void of any traffic policing. While the ruling National Conference with all the eight  Srinagar MLAs belonging to the NC,  has been claiming that the government was committed to pay “special attention towards Shaher-e-Khaas development”; till now it has even not been able to adequately deploy Traffic police there.
 Though officials said that two cops are on duty in the entire congested Nowhatta, they couldn’t be seen Friday amid thousands of vehicles. And as if Nowhatta is the only spot where traffic jams can erupt that several other busy junctions in Shaher-e-Khaas have been left void of the much required men-in-blue.
 Though the ruling government was expected to come up with adequate deployment of Traffic cops in the old City, results are awaited! 

Lastupdate on : Fri, 10 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 10 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 11 Aug 2012 00:00:00 IST