Bus services through Atal Setu

By
Daily Excelsior
-

Sir,
Almost two years on since the inauguration of Atal Setu on 24 th Dec. 2015, it has become a show piece for the tourists who throng in good number to see the bridge, a masterpiece of modern science and technology  and to enjoy the vast fresh water RSD lake. The completion of the long awaited bridge over river Ravi has not only provided a free passage to the population, long marooned due to the backwaters of RSD, but has connected the whole state with all the states of India in general and that of the north  in particular. In the absence of  vehicular movement over the bridge only the local and light vehicles of the natives use the bridge ever since it was opened for the interstate vehicular traffic. The condition of the roads across Ravi  and the connectivity through the bridge has not only reduced the distance but has made the journey smooth and comfortable. But in spite of all these facilities thousands of the commuters from Bani and those living in the remote areas of the Basohli and Billawar tehsils are compelled to adopt the same old, long,  jerky and full of sharp and blind curve roads for interstate journey. There is neither any private or JKSRTC interstate bus service through Atal Setu nor from the adjoining states of Punjab, Himachal Pardesh and Haryana except the one Himachal Roadways bus service plying between Basohli and Jasoor (HP) which remains jam packed from the Basohli bus stand till its destination Jasoor and is earning good revenue. But at the same time there is no JKSRTC bus service from Udhampur, Billawar, Bani or Basohli which can make  the long interstate journey in one go. Many times the State Government has been apprised about the genuine demand of the public verbally, through print media. The State Government is requested to start as many interstate bus services through Atal Setu as can facilitate  cheap, short and comfortable journey of the natives of three tehsils in one go. Also request the other states to allow their buses to ply between their own state and Jammu and Kashmir on the reciprocal basis. The Atal Setu bridge is not an show piece to be show cased for the tourists rather it must be put to use it is made for.
Yours etc….
Shiv Kumar Padha
Basohli.

WhatsApp Icon Follow our WhatsApp channel