Pattan gridlock deepens as bypass drags on

Baramulla, Jan 5: The vital Pattan stretch on Srinagar–Baramulla highway has become synonymous with daily traffic chaos, with commuters, traders and residents enduring long tailbacks amid slow progress on the key 11-kilometre bypass project.
Commuters said that they often get stuck for 30 to 45 minutes in the gridlock. They said patients, students and office-goers travelling on the vital Srinagar–Baramulla corridor are the most affected.
They said a town-to-town journey that should take minutes often stretches close to an hour.
Authorities said the Rs 432 crore 11-km Pattan bypass project from Pattan to Tapper is under execution and will eventually decongest the township. They said earth-filling and formation work on major portions of the alignment are almost complete, while bottlenecks have already been cleared to keep the project on track.
Officials indicated that if the current pace is maintained, the bypass is expected to be completed around July, giving commuters an alternative corridor and easing pressure on the town centre. Earlier, the project was scheduled to be completed in 2025.
Amid mounting public anger, Baramulla MP Engineer Abdul Rashid has formally taken up the issue of delayed Pattan bypass works with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
In his representation, the MP flagged “slow execution” and its impact on commuters, traders, patients and students, terming the bypass and associated works lifelines for North Kashmir.
However, in a written reply, the minister has acknowledged the concerns and assured that the matter is being “looked into for action”, raising hopes that the work speed will now be increased.
It is noteworthy that the traffic snarls peak during morning office rush and evenings, stranding ambulances and office-goers for 30-45 minutes in what locals call a routine nightmare, even as police remain stretched, manually clearing gridlocks.
Social media overflows with videos of massive jams, calling Pattan town a “Jamnagar”, amplifying calls for a dedicated traffic plan, more personnel and coordination with local bodies until the bypass opens. “Police try hard, but without road space and bypass, jams are inevitable—speed up the real solutions,” a commuter said. (KNO)