Peak-hour traffic snarls test patience of G’bal commuters

G’bal: Daily commuters, particularly employees and students, are facing mounting difficulties due to frequent traffic jams in the main town area of Ganderbal, with residents alleging inadequate traffic management and a lack of sustained intervention by the authorities.
Locals said the stretch from Nagbal to Beehama via Duderhama Chowk has become one of the most problematic corridors, witnessing daily bottlenecks, especially during morning and evening peak hours. According to residents, poor regulation at major junctions, absence of synchronized traffic control, and limited on-ground monitoring often result in prolonged standstills that stretch for several hundred metres.
They noted that indiscriminate roadside parking by private vehicles, taxis, and delivery vans further narrows the carriageway, leaving little space for smooth vehicular movement. In several spots, vehicles are reportedly parked in no-parking zones without fear of penalties, which locals said reflects weak enforcement of traffic norms.
Residents also highlighted that encroachments on footpaths by street vendors, temporary stalls, and construction material have forced pedestrians to walk on roads, increasing both congestion and accident risk. Shopkeepers and commuters alike said the lack of designated vending zones and parking bays has compounded the problem, turning already narrow stretches into choke points. “The continuous traffic jams have severely disrupted our daily routines and businesses. Government employees and students are particularly affected, often reaching offices and schools late,” residents said, adding that emergency vehicles also struggle to pass through congested sections during peak traffic hours. Many inhabitants expressed concern that the situation has worsened over time due to a steady rise in vehicle numbers without corresponding expansion of road infrastructure. They said that unless timely corrective measures are taken, congestion could become a permanent feature, affecting economic activity, public convenience, and road safety. Residents urged authorities to deploy additional traffic personnel at critical junctions, strictly enforce parking regulations, and remove encroachments from pedestrian pathways. They also called for long-term infrastructure measures such as widening of key road stretches, installation of traffic signals, development of bypass routes, and creation of multi-level or designated parking facilities to accommodate increasing traffic volume. Locals said immediate and coordinated action by civic and traffic authorities is essential to restore order on the roads and ensure smoother mobility for commuters in the town.