Amid ongoing works, traffic regulation major challenge: SSP City Traffic

Srinagar, Feb 28: Stating that the opening of schools this year is not a regular course, Srinagar traffic authorities on Tuesday said the current carriage road width at major corridors in Srinagar has narrowed down due to the ongoing works under the ‘Srinagar Smart City Project’.
Senior Superintendent of Police for City traffic, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah said that the ongoing works have narrowed the space of carriage roads at major corridors in Srinagar and that is going to throw a big challenge for ensuring smooth vehicular movement.
“On major corridors of Srinagar works are going on under Srinagar Smart City Project due to which the carriage road meant for the vehicular movement has lessened down which is leading to the traffic congestion”, he said.
In response to a question about the plan for regulating the traffic at the city’s ‘narrow corridors’ in view of the opening of schools, he said that, recommended directions issued by the School Education Department will serve to a great level as that will minimize the traffic flow during peak hours.
He said they have also advised the schools to avoid plying school buses on M.A road and Residency road and that they should use alternate routes from the convent school side.
“For a few days there may be some traffic disruptions, but we are hopeful that in coming days the issue will get eased out”, he remarked.
Meanwhile, many locals said that as many roads in Srinagar have been cut down or blocked due to the works taken under Srinagar Smart City Project, they are facing immense inconvenience in reaching their workplaces.
A local Srinagar resident said that the timing of schools should be changed as it will take hours for students to reach schools due to the condition of the roads.
“The roads are dug up, when our kids will reach school when they will come back, and how much time they will get to study there, our kids will face hardships,” said a local.
SSP Traffic Srinagar said that they would try to ensure that the vehicular movement of school buses remains hassle-free but stated that the process is going to be challenging even if they deploy extra traffic personnel on duty.
“There are road cuts and material lying around and on those points movement of traffic is very slow which eventually causes traffic congestion”, he added.
Notably, following the recommendations by the Srinagar traffic authorities for a change of school timing, School Education Department today changed school timing in Srinagar city from 9 Am to 2 Pm.
Pertinently, Schools in the Kashmir division are all set to resume academics from March-01 following the winter vacation of over two months while the Degree colleges in Valley have already reopened on February 15.