Unavailability of public transport taking toll on people: NC

Srinagar, Dec 29: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Thursday voiced concern over the unavailability of reliable public transport in Srinagar Suburbs and other districts.
This was said by the party’s state Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar while echoing with the sentiments of civil society members from Chaterhama, Harwan, Khimber, Dara, Mulfaq, Tailbal and Burzhama who had spoken on the issue and demanded corrective measures from the authorities concerned.
They lamented the unavailability of public transport in their respective area saying that the lingering issue is causing immense problems to the locals. They said that the problem is most prevalent on the routes of Hazratbal, Harwan, Shalimar, Khimber Tailbal, Burzhama and Mulfaq suburbs. “The issue is taking a toll on office goers, students, and especially on women and elderly passengers. The sumo service yards that operate at Exchange Road Lal Chowk and Maisuma are mostly deserted in the evening. Additionally, the sumo service on these routes is sparse and unavailable after sunset. We have few public buses on these routes. But unless all private buses and cabs operate on the routes, the issue will continue to linger on,” he said.
Speaking on the issue, Imran said, “It must be very taxing for our elderly persons, mothers, sisters, and students to wait for hours to get ferried to their destinations. Let alone the despair that the city roads are fraught with, it is tormenting to hear about the ordeals that the commuters are going through on an everyday basis. The unreliability of public transport raises questions over the functioning of the concerned departments of Traffic, RTO, and SMC.”
He appealed to authorities to address the issue on priority basis so that the people don’t have to suffer, particularly during the ongoing harsh winter months.