Valley’s vehicle chaos

The Tengpora accident that claimed the lives of two students in early November, the traffic police has intensified action against underage and reckless driving. The traffic department has stressed the crucial role of parents in preventing minors from driving without licenses, as their support is essential to curb road accidents. The department also launched counseling sessions for both minors and their parents, which is good.

And this should play a role in saving lives. But underage driving is just  one significant part of the mess called traffic in the Valley. It was eye-opening that soon after the Tengpora accidents, the traffic police seized around 1000 vehicles whose drivers were either underage or had no licenses. Tentative figures available with the traffic department, have put the number of lives consumed by accidents annually at 500. This figure includes the accidents that occur in rural areas, highways and the national highways. In fact, 2024 data for Jammu and Kashmir paints a grimmer picture: Up until September, the region witnessed 4,457 accidents, resulting in 621 fatalities and 6,122 injuries.

There are many factors that are the cause of these accidents: These chiefly include rampant violation of traffic rules, inadequate regulation, lack of adequate roads, and the rising  volume of traffic among others.  The chaos on Srinagar’s streets is a daily spectacle, particularly during peak hours. The stretch from the Tourist Reception Centre through Lal Chowk to Hari Singh High Street and onward to Rambagh transforms into a gridlocked nightmare. More than 62% of the Valley’s traffic converges into the city each day, clogging its limited road infrastructure. This situation is worsened by the city’s exponential vehicle growth, which has outpaced the expansion of its road network.

Despite the implementation of several infrastructure projects, such as the construction of the flyovers at strategic traffic intersections, these measures are insufficient to alleviate the burgeoning traffic woes. The planned ring road, while a significant project, will primarily connect the city’s peripheries and may not adequately address the core congestion issues within the city.

The problem is worsened by the lack of a dependable public transport which, in turn, has forced everyone to buy personal vehicles. So much so that now a large number of families have more than one car. So, every day lakhs of vehicles pour on to the roads with many of them careless about traffic rules. The understaffed traffic department ensures that only a few violators are caught and punished. This calls for a comprehensive traffic plan for the city. However, given the sheer scale of the problem, its execution will take time. But the traffic department will certainly make a redeeming difference by strict enforcement of the law.