100 personnel to help Traffic Dept ease Srinagar’s congestion
With lack of traffic police personnel on roads worsening congestion problems in Srinagar, the Traffic Department has roped in 100 personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police to help in streamlining traffic in the summer capital.
The traffic congestion problems have increased in Srinagar ahead of the harsh winter, giving a tough time to commuters, particularly students. The Traffic Police have sought help from the Jammu and Kashmir Police to manage the growing traffic on roads.
“We wrote to the higher-ups and they have issued an order that 100 personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police will be deployed in the city for smooth traffic. There were problems of manpower in the department, but people must use their civic sense. Many times, the cause of traffic jams is wrong parking or making three lanes on a two-way road and so, people must cooperate,” said Superintendent of Traffic Police, Srinagar, Maqsood-ul-Zaman.
Even though government offices (Durbar Move) have shifted to the winter capital for functioning in Jammu for the six months of winter, there is no end to congestion in Srinagar. The evening traffic jams are proving more difficult for people who get stuck in gridlocks in the biting cold.
“The traffic jams have turned more frequent now. Even though some rush of vehicles has reduced for the past weeks due to shifting of government offices to Jammu, there is no relaxation on the roads. There is a need to keep traffic police persoonel in almost all parts of Srinagar so that the problem gets solved to some extent,” said Rameez Bhat, a resident of Srinagar.
Due to a diversion from Jawahar Nagar ahead of flyover construction from Rambagh to Jahangir Chowk, the traffic burden has increased on the alternative route seven times the normal rush, making it difficult for commuters. As the alternative road connect the international airport road in Srinagar and other areas, the route remains the busiest throughout the day.
“The rush of vehicles has increased manifold in several years, but the roads are narrow as before. The roads were made to cater to a specific number of vehicles, but the government is not thinking about widening those. This problem will increase in the coming years,” said a Srinagar-based civil engineer.
The problem in the city is worsened due to lack of the required traffic police strength. Compared to the actual requirement of 1,250 personnel by the Srinagar Traffic Department to manage traffic, there are only 270 personnel presently deployed in various parts.
The additional manpower from the Jammu and Kashmir Police will add to the strength of the department, but the government has failed to permanently recruit more personnel in the Traffic Department.
The Durbar Move to the winter capital has further reduced the manpower in the Traffic Department as around 40 Traffic Police personnel have been deputed in the winter capital.
The places where most of the traffic jams are witnessed include Jehangir Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Residency Road, Regal Chowk, TRC, Polo View, Ram Bagh Bridge, Jawahar Nagar, Mehjoor Bridge, Batamaloo and Qamarwari.
