Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Oct 26 (KNS): Daily commuters, particularly employees and students in the main town Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district are facing hard time due to frequent traffic jams during peak hours.

A group of commuters comprising of employees and students told Kashmir News Service (KNS) that authorities have failed to regulate traffic in the main town Sopore.

“The traffic situation in the town turns very bad during morning and evening hours and not a single traffic cop is being deployed to streamline the traffic here,” they alleged.

They said that the movement of heavy vehicles through the main town has resulted into traffic mess, while the concerned authorities have slept over this grave issue. 

"Traffic jams can prove detrimental for patients in case of any medical emergency. Ironically, the concerned authorities are acting as mute spectators. The road alongside Jamia Masjid Sopore is fully occupied by the shopkeepers and even pedestrians do not find it safe to walk from here when traffic gets stuck," said Bilal Ahmed Dar, a local resident.

He said that there is no space in the town for the people to park their vehicles which forces them to park their vehicles on road sides, which adds to the traffic mess.

Earlier, authorities claimed of banning of traditional horse-carts (Tongas) within municipal of the town would result in decongestion of the traffic, as they believe Tongas were the main reason or frequent jams in the town. However, the order too proved a hoax as they continue to ply despite ban.

Meanwhile, locals appealed to the concerned authorities and the district administrationto look into the matter at an earliest so that they have heave a sigh of relief. (KNS)