Plying of condemned passenger vehicles in Downtown poses risk to passengers

Srinagar, Nov 3: Plying of condemned passenger vehicles on various roads in Downtown is posing risk to passengers who travel in these outdated vehicles.

Many commuters and passengers complained that the passenger buses, which are decades old and in bad shape, are still plying on the roads in Srinagar, especially Downtown. They said the government should ensure to replace the vehicles with new and comfortable ones for both safety and comfort.

“There is a risk to passengers who travel in these passenger buses. Many times, these condemned vehicles break down on the road, and this can lead to major mishaps. The absence of traffic cops and RTO officials in Downtown is giving free hand to drivers of condemned vehicles to ply at their will and whim,” said Ashiq Ahmad a local.

“Government is investing huge amounts of money in smart city projects to facelift every service. It is high time that condemned vehicles are replaced with new vehicles so that passengers don’t face any issues,” he added.

The commuters said that most of these mini buses are plying on the congested roads of Downtown and adding to the traffic mess.

“There is a reason that these vehicles are taken off the road. These not only affect the environment but also add to traffic congestion. Many times, these vehicles break down, hindering traffic and essential services. We appeal to authorities to ensure drives against these condemned buses so that the safety of passengers and other commuters is ensured,” said Atif Ahmad, a commuter.

A senior official of Traffic police said that whenever they stop vehicles for checks, they have a procedure for checking if these are expired.

“The Transport department that registers the vehicles carries out the procedure of life extension or scrapping the vehicles. The vehicle owners whose vehicles get condemned have to submit the registration plate to RTO. We have notified relevant authorities about the issue of checking out the condemned passenger vehicle plying in Srinagar. Relevant action will be taken in this regard. We are also doing what is under our jurisdiction,” said the official.

A few years ago, the Government ordered an extension in the life of vehicles beyond 15 years in J&K up to 25 years for both commercial and non-commercial vehicles based on the condition of the vehicles. It was said that the life extension of non-commercial vehicles after 15 years shall be governed by the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA)/Rules and other relevant instructions/rules issued from time to time.