JKRTC bus service to Uri faces erratic schedule

Srinagar, Aug 24: Residents of border town Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have demanded the restoration of Jammu & Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) bus service, which has been suspended for the past four days.

Locals informed Greater Kashmir that two buses used to operate on the Uri route—one from Srinagar and another from Baramulla—but both services have been halted without any information to the commuters.

“One bus used to depart from Garkote village in Uri at 8 am travelling to Baramulla, and would return from Baramulla to Uri at 1 pm. The other bus would leave Uri bus stand at 8 am for Jahangir Chowk, Srinagar, and return towards Uri at 1:30 pm. Both services have been suspended for the last four days,” a delegation of locals complained.

The suspension of bus service has impacted government employees, students, and patients.

“There are patients who need to travel to Srinagar hospitals daily but cannot afford the high fare of cabs. The RTC buses were a great relief to them,” said Shafiq Ahmad, a resident of main town Uri.

A student from Government Degree College Baramulla, who commutes daily from Uri, said, “The suspension of the bus service has disrupted our studies as we are unable to reach the college on time in other buses.”

A government employee posted in Baramulla said, “We live in areas close to the Line of Control (LoC) and need to reach the office and return home on time, but this has not been possible for the past four days. We are facing various hardships.”

The bus service was also crucial for poor people who cannot afford Rs 260 fare per person for a round trip from Uri to Srinagar in a cab.

Two days ago, students from Garkote village staged a protest outside the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Uri against the bus stand Uri, RTC department, and the transport department, accusing them of neglecting the bus service and causing severe inconvenience. They alleged that the buses were being diverted for school picnics.

Locals in Uri alleged that RTC buses plying on Uri route are being suspended repeatedly whenever there is an official function or other events. “We demand that the buses be allowed to run without interruption, as this is a remote area,” said Tanveer Ahmad, a resident of Garkote village.

However, a senior official from JKRTC in Srinagar, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Greater Kashmir that the buses were urgently needed by the government and were therefore deployed elsewhere. “We have also hired additional buses from outside, and I hope the services will run smoothly from Wednesday,” he assured.