If the traffic situation emerging day by day on the roads in the city is termed as a blend of confusion and disarray, rendered to nothing short of a turmoil, by mismanagement of Traffic Department it will not be any exaggeration. Not only on the main busy roads but those around colonies or sub- roads, which used to be sparsely witnessing congestion sometimes, are now seen as spots of babel of running vehicle engines and repeated honking by impatient drivers , smoke and inching of tail to tail by vehicles trapped in jams. Vehicular movement got chocked throughout the day two days back where even pedestrians found it quite trying to walk on either side of the roads. Hardly, anyone whether travelling in a vehicle or walking on foot, reached one’s destination without expending a lot of time and disturbing one’s usual schedule.
The situation was seen gone out of control due to the absence of the Traffic Police on most of the roads , especially on interior or sub- roads running parallel to the most of the busy roads from Sarwal right up to Roop Nagar , from RehariChungi to Subash Nagar – Toph areas and rest of the otherwise “less busy roads”and not to speak of the main city roads like the whole of the BC Road right up to Bantalab and other connecting city roads. This scenario continued for hours at a stretch. Those roads where dividers are not erected, confusion and the mess were more rampant as majority of vehicles trying to ‘reach’ their destinations were either overtaking or driving in an “untrafficly” manner. Some people coming out from the trapped vehicles were seen voluntarily “regulating ” the traffic themselves which included all types of vehicles. Drizzling and haphazard parking of vehicles on both sides of the roads at many places added to the confusion.
The extent of traffic confusion may be gauged by the fact that even the Express Corridor or flyovers tasted bitterly traffic jams at frequent intervals with long queues. The question which most of the people ask is that why is Traffic Police seen duty bound only on those roads where VVIP movement takes place and not on other roads which are left to the mercy of the unknown.
There must be a well thought of a strategy, a full- fledged plan to regulate and maintain regular flow of normal traffic on Jammu city roads . This should include measures aimed at long term solutions and short time solutions as well, like construction of flyovers and broadening of roads, staggering office and school timings to address peak time traffic congestions, enforcing strict traffic discipline in respect of boarding and de-boarding of passengers from Matadors at fixed spots only and severe action against haphazardly and wilful parking of vehicles that consume the already insufficient road space in such a way that the scenario appears nothing less than an encroachment. A proper policy for registration of new vehicles should include an affidavit declaring personally owned space at home or elsewhere for overnight parking by the prospective car owner instead of using public roads and lanes for the purpose.
‘Excelsior’ has been reiterating from time to time, the need of addressing the traffic problem in Jammu and Kashmir roads very seriously especially on Jammu roads on account of nonstop throughout the year traffic movement. We again stress upon the dire need of taking a serious call in this respect or else the situation is likely to be slipping out of hands and thus getting out of control and later difficult to manage effectively. Narrow and limited roads flooded with more and more vehicles on daily basis cannot any longer be allowed to remain unattended on top priority .
Follow our WhatsApp channel