Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: Several members of the Upper House today drew the attention of the State Government towards grim situation created in Jammu and Srinagar cities in view of traffic congestion and long traffic jams and ineffectiveness and lack of prompt response on the part of Traffic police.
The issue was raised by the BJP member S Charanjeet Singh in the Upper House during Question Hour. He pointed out that traffic congestion on city roads have reached alarming situation. Even at busy crossings commercial vehicles including mini-buses/ matadors and auto-rickshaws and buses commit violations in front of Traffic cops and those on duty in `Blue’ remain unmoved and hardly take cognizance of the matter. Many vehicles jump red lights and traffic cops again remain inaffective and non-responsive. The mini-bus operators drop and pick up passengers even at crossings, creating jams but again Traffic cops do not take cognizance. They are seen in 5-6 number at each crossing but seems to be sleeping over such violations. “Who will make them responsive?” he asked.
PDP member Khursheed Alam said it is not only Traffic police but coordinated efforts of all the agencies including JMC/SMC, JDA, SDA, Police, Transport Department and District Administration is also needed. Many vehicles remain parked on the roads and lanes and there is no parking place with the people having vehicles. They also create problem in smooth flow of traffic. Two wheelers/ bikes have also created mess/ problem on the roads and markets. Mushrooming reharis/khokhas on foot paths and roads and lanes have aggravated problems. Idle parking on the city roads have to be removed.
Ajatshatru Singh stressed for adopting Singapore or Europian model to deal with the traffic problem or device some mechanism to allow plying vehicles with different colours on different days or even -odd number. He said that Traffic cops should be made accountable while on duty and violations should be checked properly and there should not be pick and choose. PDP Surinder Choudhary pointed out that last night it took him two hours to reach Jewel Chowk from Muthi side where normally 15-20 minutes are enough.
While replying on behalf of Home Minister, Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, claimed that the Government has taken various steps to reduce traffic congestion in twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar including creation of parking space and proposed construction of two Ring Road projects worth Rs 4000 crore.
He further said that the J&K Traffic police have also taken various measures for effective traffic management in Jammu and Srinagar including effective enforcement of Traffic laws, effective action against wrong parking with special attention towards congested areas; installation of delineators, traffic cones to enforce lane driving; conducting awareness campaigns to educate the motorists; imposition of restrictions on the movement of HMVs, lifting the vehicles parked unauthorizedly on road sides, pasting of stickers on wrongly parked vehicles and recommending suspension of driving licences of traffic law violators to the concerned RTOs/ARTOs.
Lone informed that the Transport Department has initiated a joint exercise for identification of bus stands/stops with the participation of the RTO, SMC, SDA and R&B in Srinagar and Jammu. He said sixty-two passenger sheds have been constructed under the jurisdiction of PIU-Jammu from Lakhanpur to Ramban and forty-six such sheds are being constructed on National Highway from Srinagar to Ramban.
The Minister said PWD(R&B) has macadamized 6434.22 km of road length under cities and towns programme since 2015-16 in the State and blacktopped 2,473.76 km PMGSY roads. The department has also constructed 2,300 parapets in Jammu to prevent fatal accidents in hilly areas, he added.
He said that Motor Vehicles Department has notified 45 mini bus stops and 67 three-wheeler stops in Jammu city and 56 bus stops in Srinagar.
Follow our WhatsApp channel