Frequent traffic jams at Pattan cause hardship for commuters

Baramulla, Nov 4: Frequent traffic jams at Pattan and Kantbagh on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway have become a daily ordeal for commuters, with long delays causing frustration among employees and residents alike.

The congestion at Pattan, particularly during peak hours, has turned into a major bottleneck for traffic moving between Baramulla and Srinagar. Commuters say that what should be a routine one-hour journey often stretches to over two hours due to the recurring jams.

Bashir Ahmad, a bank employee who travels daily from Baramulla to Srinagar, said the situation has worsened in recent months. “I work in a bank and usually finish work around 4:30 p.m. Because of the jam at Pattan, I often reach home in Srinagar around 7 or even 8 p.m. Without the congestion, I could reach by 5:30 p.m. at the latest,” he said.

Local residents blame the delay in completing the Pattan bypass for the persistent traffic snarls. They say the ongoing work on the Baramulla-Srinagar four-lane project has not progressed as expected.

“There has been an unreasonable delay in completing the bypass road,” said Arif Hussain, a resident of Pattan. “The executing agency started work very late, and that has caused prolonged suffering for commuters.”

The Baramulla-Srinagar four-lane project includes two key bypasses — Kanispora and Pattan. The Pattan bypass, spanning approximately 11 kilometres from Pattan to Tappar, was conceived to divert through traffic and ease congestion in the town.

Officials said that most land acquisition issues have now been resolved and that construction is moving forward. “There was a minor issue related to missing land during the survey, but it has been addressed and notifications issued,” an official involved in the project said.

Once completed, the bypass is expected to significantly reduce traffic pressure at Pattan and ensure smoother movement of vehicles towards Srinagar.

In the meantime, commuters have urged the Baramulla district administration to deploy additional traffic personnel at key intersections in Pattan to regulate movement and prevent gridlocks. “The bypass will take time, but immediate relief is needed through better traffic management,” said a commuter.