Lack of public transport in evenings takes toll on passengers

Srinagar: Unavailability of public transport in evenings is causing immense problems to passengers in the summer capital.

Aggrieved passengers said that they are left stranded in the city centre area due to unavailability of public transport in the evenings.

   

The passengers said that in the evenings there are no cabs or buses available for passengers. They said that the problem is most prevalent on the routes of Hazratbal outskirts and Harwan areas.

“This issue has been taking a toll on office goers, students, and especially on women and elderly passengers. The cab service yards that operate at Exchange road Lal Chowk and Maisuma are mostly deserted in the evening. In addition to that, the major cab service of Harwan route is also unavailable after sunset. We have taken up the issue with cab operators several times, but to no avail,” said Sameer Bhat, a resident of Harwan.

The passengers who board cabs from Exchange Road cab yard and Maisuma to Hazratbal areas of Chatrahama and Danihama said that cab operators don’t follow schedules.

“There is a schedule followed by public transport operators. On a daily basis, school children, the elderly, and women keep waiting. Passengers that rely on Maisuma cab yard, Exchange cab yard, and Harwan sumo service are the primary sufferers. Everyone does not own vehicles and are dependent on public transport. The Srinagar administration has been sitting on the issue for years now,” said Altaf Ahmed, a student from Hazratbal area.

An official from J&K Road Transport Corporation said that the department has pushed buses on various routes of Srinagar to address the issue.

“We have few buses on the Hazratbal outskirts also. But unless all non-government bus operators and cabs operate in full capacity and on time, the issue will stay there,” said the official.

The passengers appealed to authorities to address the issue of public transport in Srinagar so that they don’t have to suffer.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

four − 4 =