Choked roads

As the holy month of Ramadhan progresses and the festive season draws nearer, Srinagar’s streets are becoming increasingly choked, not just with the usual traffic but also with illegal car parking that worsens the situation. The already congested roads are now gridlocked due to vehicles parked haphazardly in unauthorized spaces, especially in the interiors of City. Such a situation has become a norm now in the city areas like Habba Kadal, Tanki Pora, Barbarshah and other adjacent areas, which has led to tremendous hardships for commuters, pedestrians, and shopkeepers alike, as the city braces for the seasonal surge in shoppers and visitors. Srinagar has become a victim of its own success in recent years. With the approach of festivals such as Eid and the ongoing month of Ramadhan, the streets are teeming with shoppers eager to buy festive goods, groceries, and other essentials. This annual rush is to be expected, yet the added complication of illegal car parking has turned a manageable situation into a logistical nightmare. In every major shopping area, the same pattern persists as the vehicles are parked where they shouldn’t be. Cars are double-parked, often blocking lanes, encroaching upon pedestrian walkways, and making it nearly impossible for others to move. This illegal parking has become an unfortunate but predictable feature of Srinagar’s roads, and with the festive season now in full swing, the situation has reached a breaking point. While the rush of shoppers is expected to increase further, there is a need to deploy the traffic policemen in the interiors of the City areas so that the traffic is managed with ease and the commuters could heave a sigh of relief.