While the grade separator at busy TRC junction has been thrown open, experts have questioned government’s failure to make it a two-way approach, saying the ill-designed mini-flyover has defeated its purpose.
The one-way traffic movement on the mini flyover gradeseparator has left commuters puzzled arguing how a single way grade separatorcan resolve traffic mess at the junction which witnesses traffic movement fromall the four sides.
The main limb of this grade separator runs from Sonawartowards Lal Chowk and is 405 metres long. It has another diversion, towardsJ&K Bank Limb (225 metres long) for commuters moving towards MA Road fromSonawar.
The comprehensive traffic mobility plan of Srinagar city hasrecommended another grade separator near golf course, opposite J&K Bankcorporate headquarters.
“The construction of the grade separators will improve theexisting traffic management in Srinagar city. The major objectives ofconstructing the grade separators are to decongestion traffic on the roadjunctions from Sonwar to Lal chowk; quick access to the city center from theouter city areas and improved long-term traffic management in the Srinagarcity,” reads an official report that has been prepared by EconomicReconstruction Agency.
However, construction of single way grade separator hasraised question marks over the planning.
Former Public works minister, Syed Altaf Bukhari said thatsingle way grade separator won’t serve any purpose. Bukhari said when he wasR&B minister the department had proposed two grade separators to decongestthe traffic movement at this busy junction.
Later, he said, it was decided that grade separator willfacilitate two-way traffic. “But I don’t know what happened later,” he said.
A senior engineer of JKERA wishing anonymity saidauthorities at had decided to go ahead with one grade separator. “But it was decided this mini flyover willfacilitate two-way traffic, but now the grade separator has been designed insuch a way that only one way vehicular movement is possible on it,” he said.