Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, May 3: Following Thursday’s incident in which 27-year-old Jehangir Ahmad died midway in the Sekidafar area of Srinagar due to a massive traffic jam hindering his journey to the hospital, officials conducted a meeting on Friday to address the issue and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Officials briefed about the matter said that in the meeting, proper notice was taken of the traffic jam and why the incident happened.
A top official from Traffic Police Srinagar said that the main reason behind the incident was that a contractor had dug up a main road in the interiors of downtown without informing officials, causing the patient to take multiple diversions and get stuck in traffic. This resulted in a late arrival at the hospital, he said.
He added, “As the vehicle crossed Safa Kadal, the police were accompanying the patients and marking the way, but due to the road being dug up from Sekidafar towards Noorbagh, with Nawa Kadal and Karan Nagar also undergoing repair work, it led to traffic congestion and became the reason for the patient’s death.”
When contacted, SSP Traffic Srinagar City, Muzaffar Shah said, “Right now, commuting has become difficult as the roads in Srinagar city are being redeveloped. We have informed all the contractors that if any road needs to be cut because of development, they have to inform us so we can clear alternative routes and place additional men and machinery.”
