Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 12: In order to sort out the traffic mess in the Kashmir especially in Srinagar, the State High Court while considering the suggestions given by traffic advisor, passed slew of directions to the authorities.
Court today while dealing with Public Interest Litigation with regard to man and management of the traffic congestion in Kashmir province especially in Srinagar and its adjoining areas, passed certain direction keeping in view of the suggestions submitted by Anuj Malhotra, Traffic Advisor.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice D S Thakur directed the authorities to sort out issues like roads occupied by vendors, wrong parking, Parking Places, horn honking in prohibited areas, over loading to passenger vehicles etc.
Court has observed that the presence of vendors on roads and footpaths are causing huge trouble and impediment for plying of smooth traffic as also to the commuters. Court in this connection directed the Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation to examine the matter by providing vending zones and in case, court added, such areas are identified then SMC will ensure shifting of vendors to such vending zones and further ensure vending is confined to such zones and areas.
With regard to slip roads, Traffic Advisor informed the court that problem regarding to junctions at various places in the city identified be sorted out as the same is main cause of traffic jams. In this connection, court directed the Public Works Department through its Chief Engineer Kashmir to report the action taken on the aspect and give solutions to such problem before next date.
Malhotra has also apprised the Court that for feasible parking on roadsides there are almost 112 spots available and identified some of them are in use but the staff deputed to those parking slots is not trained which causes inconvenience to the public. He suggested that IT based parking be introduced so ease out such inconvenience. Court in this regard directed the SMC to address this issue with utmost urgency and report the court on next date of hearing. Court has further directed that no vehicle is allowed to park outside the bus-stands such as bust stand at Parimpora and Pantha Chowk.
Traffic advisor has been asked to examine the status of bus-stand at Parimpora and inform the court as it appears in the minutes of meeting in the month of April this year has not been addressed. In the said minutes of meeting, the submissions of SMC were recorded for mega plans to which the court said the same be furnished to advisor Malhotra for examining the same.
On the menace of overloading during peak hours, Court directed the SSP Traffic to intensify the routine checks and get control over the menace. Court on installation of traffic light and those which are in place but are not working said, the same has also be taken up in the minutes of meeting and assurance was made for installation of new traffic light as also making functional of those which are in place, but the same has not happened on ground level. Authorities concern has been directed to ensure the same is completed and report be submitted to the court on next date.
This PIL, as court has already said, is pending since the year 2003 and raises several questions of significant of importance regarding the issue of traffic in the Kashmir province.
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