Srinagar, Apr 27 (KNS): Taking a serious note of traffic chaos on Srinagar roads in the wake of “half-baked and politically-motivated” traffic diversion plan, as implemented by the administration from today, the Kashmir Traders & Manufacturers Federation has sought personal intervention of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
The KTMF president & KEA Chairman Haji Mohammed Yasin Khan said the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir in consultation with the SSP Traffic have taken entire Srinagar for a ride through the insane diversion plan which only furthered the woes of commuters.
He said construction of the Jahangir Chowk Ram Bagh flyover should be no excuse to put people to trouble. “Construction of flyover doesn’t mean that people have to spend day stranded on roads, the ailing cannot reach hospital in time and others including schoolchildren stay helpless, while marketplaces suffer the most,” Khan said.
“For the past few days, media had been highlighting that Srinagar was heading for traffic terror and today when the traffic diversion plan was implemented, the worst fears came true,” said KTMF president Haji Mohammed Yasin Khan.
Terming the diversion plan as “irrational and despotic”, Khan said even commonsense has been sidelined in the name of traffic management.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Khan took a dig at traffic police. “On one side the traffic police is doing secondary jobs of collecting fines only at the cost of their basic duty of traffic regulation. If the duty of traffic police is restricted to revenue collection through fine then the department should come under the purview of the Finance ministry,” Khan ridiculed.
He said the illogical diversion plan, which failed on day one has exposed that traffic won’t be able to ply in the coming days when durbar move offices reopen in the summer capital and business activities also pick up.
“None of the stakeholders have been consulted over the issue and this despotic style won’t work,” Khan said adding the traffic regulation is already so messy that potential shoppers avoid driving to the city center of Lal Chowk and adjoining areas.
“At a time when it was needed to streamline the traffic flow, things have been worsened,” Khan said.
He said the government should not test the patience of the people but act before its late. (KNS)