The ongoing works at Lal Chowk and its adjoining areas under Srinagar Smart City Project must be speedily completed on priority basis. People are facing a lot of inconvenience due to non-availability of passenger buses and sumo services in this area. The movement of the buses and sumos was disallowed since the start of the work several months back.
Even as some works were completed, the other works are yet to be completed. The passenger buses and sumos are not still available because those are not allowed in.
Subsequently, the commuters including office goers, college and school students and those working at the shops and other business establishments are suffering.
There are no early signs of an end to their inconvenience. Residency Road and Maulana Azad Road continue to be non-operational routes for the busses, which earlier used to ply in hundreds on the two important and busy roads.
Same is the case with sumos. Subsequently, those who used to catch the buses at Polo View, Regal Chowk, Residency Road, Lal Chowk, and Maulana Azad Road have to walk distances in different directions for buses and sumos.
When the passengers come from their respective homes in the morning they are dropped at those places and they have to walk on foot to reach their working places or educational institutions.
The things become more problematic for them when it rains. The authorities must seriously look into the issue and complete the work on priority basis as the other works were completed some time back.
But if the works are not completed soon, then the concerned officials must see to it whether the disallowing of passenger buses and sumos is really required now when the other works have been completed.
If it is not required and the work does not get affected the public transport should be allowed. The officials must take a call so that the sufferings of commuters come to an end. If the entry of busses and sumos will affect the work, then the work should be completed speedily.
There are reports that the pace of the works has slowed down for last several weeks. The officials had said the slow work was because of the continuous heavy rains for several days. Now when the weather conditions have improved, the pace of the work must also gain momentum.
