Traffic Police disallows small passenger vehicles to Srinagar

SRINAGAR — The Traffic police officials aren’t allowing the small passenger vehicles like Sumo & Tavera to enter the Srinagar city through the Batwara-Badamibagh Road and all such vehicles are diverted through the Lasjan road which has put commuters into frustration as travel on dilapidated and lengthy Lasjan road is a time consuming process.

Hundreds of such vehicles coming from various areas of south Kashmir are not allowed into Srinagar city through Batwara road. All such vehicles are stopped at Pantha Chowk, Bye-Pass and the drivers are asked to travel through Lasjan to enter the Srinagar city.

The commuters travelling from different parts of south Kashmir districts said the decision to divert light motor vehicles, carrying passengers, at Panthachowk has caused inconvenience to them, particularly students and patients travelling to Srinagar.

“The policemen on duty provide no explanation as if they are deaf and dumb, they listen nothing and allow no Tavera or Sumo vehicle to ply on Badamibagh-Batwara road for reasons only known to them” a group of commuters said while lamenting the action of Traffic police.

“It is not only about normal commuters but people suffering from different ailments are also put to trouble. Students also face inconvenience as they are forced to take alternate route which is in shambles,” said Ishfaq Ahmad, a visibly angry commuter from Pulwama.

“This is annoying, we pay fare from our area just to reach our designated place on time but the authorities are creating inconvenience for us by diverting the small passenger carrying vehicles. They have shifted us from Panthachowk,” said a group of angry commuters while boarding a Tavera.

On Thursday, a couple was carrying their baby, a Pneumonia patient, with them in a Tavera and had fixed an appointment with a doctor in city centre Lal Chowk, however their Tavera was stopped at Panthachowk and diverted towards Lasjan, resulting in the couple being unable to reach the doctor on time.

When the Traffic police officials are asked about the reason, they say, “These are High Court orders,” to get rid of repeated requests by drivers and passengers.

However, a police official, on the condition of anonymity, told a different story, “High Court didn’t tell them to stop cabs. They have to streamline the traffic in the city and there has to be colour coding of cabs and allow them to ply to specific districts but not stop their entry.”

Meanwhile, the commuters also blamed that the drivers for taking extra Rs. 10 fare through the Lasjan road while the administration is deep slumber even after knowing that people are suffering.