Traffic troubles on potholed roads in Kashmir

Despite huge public outcry over the poor condition of roads and several environmental problems caused by traffic jams in Srinagar city and several towns of Kashmir valley, the R&B department does not wake up from deep slumber to improve the road connectivity in Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir valley. Even the increasing number of accidents and surging level of pollution giving sleepless nights don’t wake up the authorities from deep slumber. Fed up with the deteriorating condition of the roads leading to Airport, Shalteng crossing down to Sumbal town and Pantha Chowk in Srinagar city upto saffron town Pampore people are upset over the continuing inaction of the concerned executive agencies of the state government on this count. They complain that the potholed roads in the summer capital are causing huge inconvenience to the motorists and massive traffic jams in the city centre parts of old Srinagar city . Complaining of potholes in the centre of city roads the Srinagarites are also upset over the poor traffic regulation in almost all the civil lines areas of Srinagar city. The authorities seem to be only concentrating on beautifying main arterial routes on the eve of the opening of move offices including civil secretariat in Srinagar and don’t bother even to carry out the patchwork to fill the potholes which have virtually becoming death traps. The movement of heavy-duty vehicles on these roads makes driving very dangerous, especially during late evening hours. The cause of unprecedented rise in the road accidents is also the poor condition of roads. Though it is a fundamental right of the people to have better roads, but ironically the whole transport system is badly hit due to the poor condition of roads.
Though construction work on many road projects had been started long back, but the delay caused in the completion of such road projects is doubling the troubles in Srinagar city and major towns of Kashmir valley. Irony of the fact is that the road from Jahangir Chowk to Airport being used by heavy commercial vehicles also presents an ugly look due to potholes that have developed all along the route. The entire road, especially near Solina , Rambagh and Baghat-e-Burzulla is in a very bad shape and several vehicles have met with accidents in this section. There are very big potholes in the centre of the roads from Hyderpora to Humhama and Shalteng crossing to Sumbal town . Roads and footpaths in old parts of Srinagar city too are in bad shape and require urgent repair work. The road, which branches off from the Rambagh and leads to Nowgam byepass is not only dilapidated but also dangerous. Moreover, this long route is without any traffic signal. Though the authorities have been claiming that maintenance of all the roads remains a priority for the R&B and allied department on a regular basis, but the potholed roads in Srinagar city paint a dismal picture of the working of the R&B department in Kashmir valley.