Locals urge authorities to expedite work
Nawshaba Iqbal
Srinagar, Apr 25: Slow progress of drainage work on Dr Ali Jan Road near Eidgah has disrupted traffic for the past two weeks, with two-way movement squeezed into a single-lane diversion along the busy hospital stretch, causing persistent congestion and delays.
The road serves as a vital link to major healthcare facilities, including Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura and SMHS Hospital, raising concerns over accessibility, particularly in emergency situations where every minute is crucial.
Commuters said the stretch remains heavily burdened throughout the day, with peak hours witnessing long queues of vehicles.
The diversion was introduced after flaws surfaced in earlier drainage work, prompting fresh excavation in the other lane of the road.
Officials said the sewer project, being executed by the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED), involves laying pipelines and constructing manholes along nearly one kilometre of the stretch, which has added to the duration of the work.
Residents attributed the prolonged disruption to faulty execution of earlier work.
Nisar Ahmad Wani said uneven laying of pipes had necessitated fresh digging.
“It has been over 10 to 15 days, and traffic pressure remains high. This is an important route connecting hospitals, and the work should be completed at the earliest,” he said.
Shopkeepers along the road also reported disruption to daily life and business.
Mohammad Yousuf said persistent congestion, dust and frequent traffic jams had affected normal activity, while drainage issues in nearby colonies were compounding the problem.
Another resident, Abdul Majeed, warned that delays on the route could have serious implications for emergency services.
“Even a delay of a few minutes can be critical in medical cases. The work should be expedited to restore normal movement,” he said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic City) Aijaz Ahmad said the project involves multiple stages and requires time for completion, adding that traffic police is coordinating with the executing agency to manage movement.
“Staff has been deployed on the ground and the situation is being monitored. Special attention is being given to ensure smooth passage of ambulances as this road connects to major hospitals,” he said.
He added that steps have been taken to ease congestion, including opening the Hawal intersection to allow vehicles from Soura to move towards Eidgah without taking a longer route via Islamia College, thereby reducing pressure on Dr Ali Jan Road.
Referring to the delay, he said existing pipelines of the Public Health Engineering Department require careful handling during excavation, which has slowed the pace of work.
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