Banihal –cart road via Ramban to Srinagar was one among them the Jammu & Kashmir State Govt. transport was started in 1948. The first Act namely Motor Vehicles Act was enforced in 1919 and IGP (Inspector General Police) was the registration authority as well as passing with the passage of time as the population increased many folds the number of vechular traffic also increased and many new roads were formed. In the present scenario there is hardly any village which has not the road connectivity. In the commercial hubs of the entire union territory we see commuters are facing tough time due to traffic jams for many hours especially during peak hours even some times commuters are forced to take alternative roads. Frequently traffic jams implies the weak system of authorities in streamlining the system. Few years back in order to ensure effective traffic management system and hassle-free vehicular movement. Traffic police launched a special drive in visible offences such as safety belt, over speed, wrong stops rash driving etc and the objective behind it was to aware the drivers and general public regarding traffic rules and management. Citizens were advised to follow the traffic rules as by it they and other will feel secure while a roads. This author lives in Doru Shahabad of District Anantnag. We know in this district the heart is Anantnag city, comprising Tehsils viz Dooru, Shahabad Bala, Qazigund, Anantnag, Mattan, Larnoo Kokernag, Bijbehara, Salar, Pahalgam and situated 75-7’ to 75-12’ East Longitude and 33-41’ to 33-46’ North latitude and 1600 meters above from sea level. The main routes of Anantnag City are KhanabalPahalgam that leads to Amarnath Cave, Kulgam-Anantnag, Anantnag-Kokernag –Vailoo, Dooru-Verinag-Kapran, Anantnag-Qazigund. It is the second largest Urban Town in the valley. All district high ways coverage in Anantnag town. It is the city that has excessive inter-state and inter-district traffic in the main city. It has congestion on roads, inadequate road with, encroachments on road sides by vendor lack of cycle tracks, footpaths occupied by shopkeepers and vendors, lack of parking places. The road network in the district constitutes 13.48% of the total network of the region. The city is connected with Srinagar and Jammu by Four lane. The city occupies a key position with the regional road network and the roads leading to tourist resorts all meet at the city. The total length of roads in this city is 129 km and in the main city these are classified as arterial, collector and local streets Anantnag road and serves as the principal network and sub-arterial system includes road link tourist resorts Verinag, Kokernag, Achabal. These roads have less mobility of vechular traffic than Khanabal – Pahalgam road. Street like chee, Kadipora to University, AchabalAdda to Danteretc act as collector streets as they connect major commercial and residential area as in these business areas.
As per road inventory surveys only 9.13 percent that is 11.72 Km road length of the total road network in this city has footpath on both the sides of the road. For example while walking from Mehandi Kadal to Mattan Chowk via court road no footpath has been constructed on either side of road.
Issues:
(a) There is lack of parking facilities for personalized mode of transport as is witnessed on almost all main roads in the city like by pass near play ground where almost all the private vehicles are parked on bypass road side.
(b) There is encroachment of carriage way by vendors and poor road geometric.
(c) There are no footpaths on many inner roads resulting traffic jams.
(d) Lack of parking for Sumos and Taviras that are plying on Anantnag –Dooru-Verinag andAnantnag-Kokernag-Larnoo roads.
(e) Mixing of slow and vehicular transport.
Immediate measures:
1. Need of the hour is to overhaul the traffic and transport system
2. By passing of through traffic.
3. Constructing of footpaths and designated bays.
Main thing is hi-tech intelligent Traffic light system as some is not operative which shows the seriousness of the authorities about the system and it takes the heavy toll on commuters due to frequent traffic jams at vital intersections, for instance few traffic cops whose number remains two or three deployed at the crossing of JanglatMandi to streamline the traffic especially during evening hours, “Shanu, a daily commuter on Anantnag –Dooru-Verinag road alleged. She said that every evening she has to “Waste” 30 minutes in traffic Jam on this road from Achabal Adda to Ashajipora to cover a distance which otherwise is covered in 07 minutes travelling on this city roads has become time and energy consuming. At few places commuters have to spend 20 minutes to complete the distance of one kilometer such as Mehanid Kadal to Jangalt Mandi etc. These frequent traffic jams have increased the absence of effective regulation of the traffic. No doubt traffic police has taken effective measures to ensure hassle free traffic in the system but common people does not follow the traffic rules completely yet. It is the need of the day to take steps by which traffic jam could be curbed. One year back the traffic scenario was bought back on track by diverting outer traffic through by pass at the Ashajipora bridge crossing and the credit must be given to Dr. Piyush Singla Ex-Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, resulting the traffic jam was not seen in the interiors of the city. But today the situation is same as was seen two years back.
None of the meaning full steps are taken by the concerned authorities and no investment is made on new infrastructure like hindering of roads etc.
(Author is a freelancer. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are author’s own and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon.)
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