Deteriorating public transport services

As the intense cold has started gripping Kashmir, there is also deterioration in public transport services in the evening.

During daytime passenger buses and cabs are available on most routes in good number, even as there are reports of shortage of the service during day time in some of the areas.

But now immediately after sunset buses and cabs start disappearing from roads. The non- availability of the public transport or very less public transport creates problems for the people, who have to travel in the evening. They can been seen waiting in large number at bus stops.

When a bus or cab reaches the stop, it cannot cater to the increasing rush.

Lot of time of the commuters gets wasted in waiting for the bus or a cab amid cold. Some of them are left with no option but to travel in autorickshaws later.

The passengers allege that most autorickshaw drivers over-charge in the evening and subsequently the travel becomes costlier in the evening.

Those who work till late at their workplaces or those working outside the city and returning home in the evening are at the receiving end because of shortage of public transport at that time.

Road Transport Corporation (RTC) has started running e-buses on various routes. The number of such buses is lesser when compared to the demand and rush of the commuters.

More buses should be pressed into service particularly during evening hours when private passenger buses go off roads.

The authorities must also talk to the private transporters and direct them to keep buses available for the people in the evening.

The issue of non-availability of public transport in evening starts in autumn and gets worse in winter. This problem is always there during the two seasons.

There is always a public demand for solution of the problem. Sometimes some steps are taken by the concerned officials but their directions are not permanently followed.

Consequently, the commuters continue to face inconvenience.

The concerned officials and the private transporters must take the problem seriously and take concrete steps to make the bus and cab services available for the commuters on all routes.