Slow pace of road repairs at Nowpora hits vehicular movement

Srinagar, June 30: Slow pace of road repairs at Nowpora locality has taken a toll on commuters.

The commuters said that following multiple development projects across Srinagar including downtown, the lack of proper execution has also hindered the traffic movement.

They said that during peak hours, they face problems commuting via the Nowpora route. They said that during inclement weather, the dug-up roads and lying-around material put the safety of pedestrians and commuters at risk.

“The mounds of construction material are hampering movement of traffic and posing a risk of accidents. When the work is going on at a slow pace, one portion of the road gets closed, which creates a traffic bottleneck. We have been suffering for a long time now, and we hope that the work will be accelerated,” said Manzoor Malik, a commuter.

The locals said that the road stretch between Khanyar and Nowpora have witnessed various construction projects, including drainage work. They said that following the work, the dug-up road has caved in many times, causing accidents.

“We want construction to be completed soon so that commuters won’t face any risk and traffic movement will be smooth. Due to these issues, travelers in passenger buses, e-rickshaws, and smart city buses have had narrow escapes in our area multiple times in the past and it can prove to be fatal,” said Abdul Hamid, a local from Khanyar.

The commuters in Downtown Srinagar said that the sluggish work on the road in the Nowpora vicinity is also affecting essential services. They said the road connects to various private and government hospitals, and critical care patients are losing golden hour when ambulances get stuck in traffic jams.

“Even many doctors from hospitals like Khanyar’s Khyber have raised concerns, but no one is batting an eye. We have had various fire incidents in the area, and the fire tenders have faced issues reaching the spot,” said another local.

When contacted, senior officials from Srinagar Smart City did not respond to multiple calls from this reporter for their version.