Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Mar 14: Number of vehicles plying on Jammu and Kashmir roads has almost doubled during the past seven years.
Official data reveals that the number of registered vehicles rose from 14.88 lakh in 2017 to 27.29 lakh till December 2024.
Alongside this surge, the Motor Vehicles Department has generated Rs 697.84 crore revenue during the financial year 2024-25 (ending December 2024), against a target of Rs: 1430 crores.
Additionally, in the previous financial year (2023-24), the department collected Rs: 925.32 Crores, surpassing the target of Rs: 915 crores.
The rise in vehicle numbers is attributed to enhanced road infrastructure, increasing commercial activities, and growing public demand for better transport facilities across the Union Territory.
However, the growth has also raised concerns over traffic congestion and rising pollution levels, especially in urban areas.
Nearly 1.33 lakh new vehicles were registered in 2024-25 (up to December 2024), 71,653 fresh driving licenses issued, 54,052 licenses renewed, 9,997 fresh fitness certificates issued, 71,427 fitness certificates renewed, 9,548 fresh route permits issued and 18,408 route permits renewed, the data reveals.
It also revealed the government is focussing on road safety and transport management to tackle rising traffic issues and enhance road safety, the government has introduced several measures like strict monitoring of driver training and vehicle fitness.
Fare control through the State Transport Authority. Launch of 200 e-buses, with 200 more approved under PM e-bus Sewa. Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) system with 4.77 crore rides as of March 2024.
It states that to make the mechanism more efficient the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) has been put in place for better traffic monitoring and e-challan, establishment of Inspection and Certification Centres (ICC) across J&K for vehicle fitness and institute of Drivers Training and Research (IDTR) in Jammu for high-quality driver training.
About the way forward, the government aims to further improve the transport sector by expanding the transport Subsidy Scheme, upgrading RTO/ARTO offices and implementing a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for better transport facilities.
Notably, with a massive jump in vehicle registration and record revenue generation, the administration is now focusing on enhanced road safety, efficient traffic management, and environmentally friendly transportation solutions. (KNO)
