Frequent traffic jams in Pulwama town irk commuters

PULWAMA — The frequent traffic jams in southern Kashmir’s Pulwama town continue to irk commuters as the town reports huge traffic jams for a long time, especially during evening hours.

People blamed lack of parking space, mismanagement of traffic, lack of footpaths and non-compliance of traffic rules by motorists.

Locals told the news agency KNO that most people illegally park their vehicles on roadsides without caring about others which leads to frequent jams.

Showkat Ahmad, a local resident, said traffic jams are mainly witnessed from Rajpora Chowk to Newa Sumo Stand. “The district hospital is also located on the same route; thereby the frequent gridlocks cause immense hardship to the patients and attendants to reach their destinations,” he said.

Nisar Ahmad, another local, said that people are facing hardships due to the traffic mess in Pulwama town. He said that despite some efforts from the traffic department, there has hardly been any difference on the ground.

A group of employees said the persistent traffic jams have put their jobs at stake as they fail to reach their respective offices in time. They said that the authorities have not carried out the widening of roads and it becomes a challenge for vehicles to navigate through narrow roads.

They sought the intervention of DC Pulwama in this regard. Meanwhile, an official said that the action against the erring drivers is being taken regularly.