No end to traffic jams on Barzulla-Natipora stretch

Srinagar, Apr 27: Authorities have failed to take permanent measures to prevent persistent traffic jams on the Barzulla-Natipora stretch, which are causing immense inconvenience to commuters.

Vehicles plying from the Natipora crossing to Barzulla take the wrong route due to a bottleneck on the route.

As per official documents, the authorities have opted for a temporary traffic diversion in the opposite direction from the Barzulla bridge to the Rambagh crossing.

"This temporary solution has notably reduced the traffic congestion along the Rambagh-Natipora corridor," the official document reads.

It further reads that acquiring specific land parcels and structures was necessary to permanently resolve the issue and ensure that proper unidirectional traffic flows in the specific area.

"Interim measures such as facilitating Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) through the vehicular Under Pass (VUP) are being explored to ease the bottleneck and improve traffic regulations," it states.

Amid the traffic diversion on the wrong side of the road, the commuters have expressed their concern over the issue and sought immediate intervention of the concerned authorities to streamline the traffic management on the busy road.

"It becomes very problematic at times. The vehicles coming from Magarmal take a U-turn near Rambagh crossing to move towards Barzulla. But suddenly we encounter vehicles (LMVs) coming from the wrong side. This situation can cause accidents at any point of time. The administration should look for a permanent solution to this problem," said Muhammad Sultan, one of the passengers travelling from Magarmal to Barzulla.

"We daily travel in public transport and every day we get frightened after we see vehicles coming from the wrong side in the opposite direction," he said.

An official in the Traffic Police (City) department said acknowledged that the situation was confusing for commuters as they have to "keep right" instead of maintaining the otherwise advisable left side.

"There is no exit available for vehicles coming via bund, so we allow the vehicles from left side in the opposite direction," the traffic police official told Greater Kashmir.

He said they (the traffic police department) had taken up the matter with Roads and Buildings (R&B) department to clear the tunnel beneath the bridge so that vehicles can pass through there. "But they have not cleared the tunnel yet," the official said.