Traffic chaos cripples Shopian town, commuters bear the brunt

Shopian, Nov 2: Traffic congestion in South Kashmir’s Shopian town has reached alarming levels, throwing daily life into disarray and causing severe inconvenience to residents and commuters.

The worst-hit areas include District Hospital Road, Four Way Chowk, and the Old Bus Stand, where vehicles remain gridlocked for hours during peak traffic.

Locals say the worsening situation has turned routine travel into an ordeal, particularly for patients and their attendants. “Many times, attendants are forced to leave their vehicles midway and carry patients on their backs to the hospital,” said social activist Mitha Gatoo. He added that it sometimes takes over half an hour to cover a few hundred metres due to severe congestion.

Residents attribute the chaos to narrow roads, haphazard parking, roadside encroachments, and the unchecked increase in vehicles. They also blame the lack of traffic regulation and poor administrative planning. “Traffic is not being managed properly. Months ago, a bike squad was introduced to regulate movement, but it disappeared soon after,” Gatoo said, adding that the bikes are now lying unused at the ARTO office. He further pointed out that assigning additional charges to Assistant Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs) has diluted their focus on enforcement. “When officers are burdened with multiple responsibilities, traffic regulation naturally suffers,” he said.

Locals have urged the administration to strengthen the transport department and deploy sufficient personnel to ensure effective traffic management in the town.