Crackdown on underage driving: Market for Scooties dries up in Srinagar

Srinagar, Dec 9: The ongoing drive against underage drivers launched by the Srinagar traffic police has led to a significant slump in two-wheeler sales in the city. Following the fatal Tengapora Bypass accident that claimed two students’ lives, over 3,000 two-wheelers have been seized.
The crackdown has had a devastating impact on local dealers, who admitted a drastic decline in sales. “We have gone from selling over a dozen two-wheelers daily to barely one or none at all,” said a dealer.
“Previously, our main customers were parents purchasing two-wheelers for school or college-going children. Most of our sales used to come from parents buying for their kids, but that’s stopped now,” he said.
“The market for scooties, once a popular choice among youngsters, has dried up. We are struggling to stay afloat amidst the slump. The market has disappeared,” said another dealer adding their sales have plummeted.
The traffic police crackdown, however, has been welcomed by the general public as a necessary measure to ensure road safety. Since the Tengapora accident, the police have intensified efforts to curb underage driving. [KNT]