Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: Overload-ing by the passenger vehicles goes unabated in the Mendhar and its peripheral areas.
Overloaded passenger vehicles ferrying daily commuters including school-children could be spotted every day in and around Mendhar and its surrounding areas. These vehicles with people hanging at the back stairs or sitting at the roof top move freely on various routes in Mendhar and its adjoining areas but no traffic cop seems to impose fine on them.
“Passengers can’t question these rowdy driver and their helpers who could be seen in competition to fetch more passengers and drive rashly. Personnel from law enforcing agencies fails to take action against them”, said a student from Mendhar.
He said that female passengers often have complaints about overloading in passenger vehicles where unscrupulous elements indulge in eve-teasing but still none cares.
Locals alleged that the overloading, rash driving with loud music playing on roads is due to the casual approach of men in blue and daily commuters have to suffer on daily basis.
Despite presence of police cops including men in blue, all passenger vehicles could be seen overloaded and rashly driven on various routine like Gursai, Chhatral-Kalaban, Balakote, Mankote, Sagra, Balni, Galuta, Pathanateer and Dharana.
Traffic authorities’ claim of taking necessary steps to control overloading and book the people especially drivers for violating rules, but nothing happens on ground, locals said, adding that it is a serious issue and the administration should work over it.
The locals namely Mohammad Shamim, Kushal Ahmed and Ketan Verma while talking to the EXCELSIOR said that there are checkpoints at various locations, but inspite of taking action against the traffic rules violators, the cops are seen gossiping with the operators of passenger vehicles.
Responding to a query, the locals demanded immediate action against the traffic rules violators viz a check on overloading.