Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, June 24: With meagre public transport available on roads in Kashmir, overcrowding is being witnessed on some routes with passengers not adhering to social distancing and other basic norms.
In view of the COVID 19 pandemic, public transporters have been asked to operate with 50% occupancy, but violations have been witnessed across the Valley. Though the SRTC buses plying on major routes of the Valley seem to have a lesser crowd, the maxi cabs plying on the city outskirts and villages in peripheries violate the norms.
Cabs operating in and around Srinagar and some other places are the major violators as a large number of people who commute are violating the norms set by the administration. The driver can hardly enforce personal distancing given the rush, particularly during peak hours, as only a small number of cabs are being operated now. Commuters also complained of long waits at the bus stops due to limited frequency of public transport.
The locals said that they are forced to board full-capacity cabs due to the limited number of vehicles on the road. “I have no other option but to board a full capacity cab as limited cabs are plying on the roads,” Tahira, a commuter said.
She added that fares have also skyrocketed. “I had to pay Rs 100 as fare from Pattan-Qamarwari which is double than the normal rates. How can a commoner bear the rates?” she asked.
Not only this, but many commuters also travel without the masks which can put the other passengers vulnerable to the infection.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary, told Excelsior that they are also receiving the complaints of violations and aggressive campaigns need to be carried to educate people. “We can’t single out one sector, there are violations everywhere. We need to educate people regarding the SOPs, ” he added.
Asked about the exorbitant fare charges, he said the rates need to be fixed. “We have made some recommendations to the Government. Let’s wait for their decision,” he said.
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