Smart city bus row: Transporters’ chakka-jam paralyses Valley

Srinagar, Apr 20: Kashmir Valley witnessed a near-complete halt in public transport on Monday as transporters enforced a valley-wide “chakka jam” against the expansion of Smart City bus services into district routes, bringing normal life to a standstill across several parts of the Valley.
From Srinagar city to south, north and central Kashmir, major roads wore a deserted look with buses, minibuses and taxis largely off the roads.
Transport hubs, including Parimpora, Batamaloo, Nowgam, Sopore and Anantnag, witnessed suspended activity, leaving commuters stranded and forcing many to rely on limited private arrangements or travel on foot.
The shutdown was called by transport unions under the banner of All Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association, who allege that the expansion of Smart City bus services into non-urban and inter-district routes has severely impacted traditional transport operators.
Transport Association Kashmir President Shabir Matta, said the protest reflects growing unrest in the transport sector over what they describe as “unconsulted and unregulated expansion” of Smart City bus operations.
He said transporters from north, south, central and other regions of Kashmir have repeatedly sought dialogue but feel ignored in the decision-making process. “We are not against modern transport or development. But when routes that have supported thousands of families for decades are taken away without safeguards, it becomes a question of survival,” he said.
Matta said that repeated assurances regarding route rationalisation, fleet coordination and regulatory balance have remained unimplemented on the ground.
At Parimpora Bus Stand, one of Kashmir’s busiest transport hubs, rows of parked vehicles and silent booking counters reflected the scale of the shutdown.
Transporters said the sector is already under severe pressure due to rising fuel prices, loan repayments, insurance costs and declining passenger flow.
A driver, Mushtaq Ahmad, said the situation has become unbearable. “We are not big companies. We are ordinary people running vehicles on bank loans,” he said. “Every day feels uncertain. If passengers disappear, our families disappear with them.”
Another operator said the system that sustained transporters for decades is now under stress. “There was a rhythm to this work. Now everything is breaking suddenly without transition,” he said.
In view of the transport shutdown, Kashmir University authorities announced a separate examination arrangement for students who were unable to reach exam centres on April 20 due to the unavailability of transport.
Officials said the decision was taken to ensure no student suffers academic loss because of the valley-wide disruption.
The impact of the shutdown was felt sharply across the Valley. Students missed classes, office-goers faced delays, and patients travelling for treatment reported difficulty reaching hospitals.
In several areas, passengers were seen walking long distances or waiting for private cabs, which charged higher fares due to increased demand. Despite the disruption, several commuters expressed understanding of the transporters’ grievances, calling for an early resolution through dialogue.
The protest comes amid the ongoing expansion of Smart City transport initiatives in Srinagar aimed at modernising urban mobility through structured bus services.
However, transport unions have consistently raised concerns that extending these services beyond core city limits into district and semi-urban routes has created direct competition with private operators who dominate these corridors.
Transport bodies had also warned of agitation if route overlap and unregulated deployment continued without stakeholder consultation. Union leaders say assurances of regulatory review and route-balancing mechanisms have not translated into ground-level action.
Transport representatives stressed that today’s shutdown is a warning action rather than an indefinite strike, but cautioned that continued inaction could escalate tensions.
“If there is no immediate dialogue, transporters across Kashmir will collectively decide the future course,” Matta said. He added that coordination among transport unions from north, south and central Kashmir will determine the next steps in the coming days.
Meanwhile, authorities have not issued any official response regarding the transporters’ demands or the valley-wide shutdown. (KNO)