Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, June 28: Hundreds of vehicles are stuck in the Qazigund area of South Kashmir for a week, as authorities restricted their movement on the Srinagar-Jammu highway, leaving drivers without money or essentials.
The drivers claimed that despite the road being visibly clear for movement, they are not being allowed to proceed beyond Qazigund, known as the gateway of Kashmir, towards Jammu.
They said that they have run out of money and ration supplies while expressing frustration over the lack of reasons provided for the restrictions. “We face such issues during winters when the road gets closed because of snow, but facing similar issues during summers is unfathomable,” a driver said.
He has been stuck at Qazigund for the past six days, continuously moving his vehicles from one place to another. “Authorities are not allowing us to move towards Jammu. I do not know the reason. They are allowing Army convoys to pass but not us,” he added.
While sharing his ordeal, another driver, Prakash Kumar from Punjab, said: “I have been here for the last six days, as the authorities are not allowing us. They keep saying they will allow us today or tomorrow, but it is just a delay tactic. I do not know what is happening here. We are almost out of money and have been buying rice and other essentials in smaller quantities.”
When drivers inquired about the reasons for the movement restrictions, they were informed that it was due to an upcoming Amarnath yatra from the other side. “The yatra used to happen earlier as well. We used to travel alongside it, but why are we facing a jam today? First, it was a two-lane road, and now it is a four-lane road, but the traffic mess is worse,” a frustrated driver shared.
He further mentioned that they pay hefty amounts in the form of various taxes to the Government, emphasizing they should have the right to ply freely on the road.
Adding to their plight, the lack of basic facilities such as washrooms along the highway has worsened the drivers’ situation. “We do not know what is happening. It took us seven days to reach here, but now we are stuck, and there are no washrooms or other facilities,” a driver lamented.
Soni Singh, another driver, expressed disappointment in the Government’s management of the situation. “The Government has spent a huge amount of money on the highway to make it better, but what is the use if they do not allow vehicles to ply on it? This is a sorry state of affairs and needs to be deeply looked into,” he said.
A traffic police official present at the spot while explaining the situation, said: “We are not allowing the vehicles as there is a traffic jam ahead. We can clear the traffic from here, but the decision to allow traffic needs to be made by the people at the tunnel.”
Follow our WhatsApp channel
