For quite some time now, roads in Srinagar city are witnessing increasing traffic jams, more particularly during the peak hours of morning and late afternoon. The jamming also continues even during evening hours on some roads.
The ongoing work on Srinagar Smart City projects and subsequent diversions at several places is said to be one of the reasons for this jamming. Secondly, after winter the number of vehicles plying on the roads has also increased.
More vehicles from other districts of Kashmir can be seen moving on the roads here. Their number will increase in the coming summer months. Since Srinagar is the capital city, the arrival of large number of vehicles from other districts and their movement here is natural.
The big bus stations for south, north and other central Kashmir districts have since been shifted from inside the Srinagar city to outskirts of the city to reduce traffic congestion on roads here.
However, thousands of private vehicles from different parts of Kashmir reach Srinagar daily and later return to their respective destinations.
The ongoing work and subsequent narrowing of roads at a number of places in Srinagar has added to the traffic jamming. Some months back the authorities went for some short term and long term solutions. Like, the school timings were changed much before the onset of summer.
Summer timings were kept immediately after the reopening of schools after the winter vacation. This caused some inconvenience to small children who had to reach school early and that too in cold.
The movement of passenger buses and sumos was also disallowed through the busy Lal Chowk, Residency Road, Maulana Azad Road and adjoining areas. This also caused inconvenience to thousands of commuters including students, who travel in buses and sumos. Despite all such measures, the traffic jamming is increasing.
The authorities must address this problem and take necessary steps in this direction. The people must also co-operate and should avoid doing things which causes traffic jamming.
Encroachment of some part of roads by shopkeepers and footpath vendors has to be avoided. Vehicles should not be parked on roads which cause hurdles in the smooth movement of traffic.
The vehicle should be parked at the proper parking places. There is also shortage of parking slots in Srinagar city and more such slots have to be created so that people are not forced to park vehicles on the roads.