Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 9: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic Srinagar Aijaz Ahmad today said police have revived routine anti-encroachment drives around major congestion points, including hospital areas, in an effort to improve mobility in the city.
Speaking to reporters here, the SSP said effective enforcement, along with public cooperation, was essential to address persistent traffic congestion. “Effective enforcement and collective efforts are key to improving traffic mobility in the city,” Ahmad told reporters during a drive in the SMHS and adjoining localities.
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SSP said the weekly routine around the hospital zone had remained suspended for the past few weeks due to adverse weather, but was restarted after traffic police observed worsening congestion caused by roadside parking.
“Many people had parked their cars on the road. There was a lot of difference in mobility. So we cleared that and moved forward,” he said, adding that action was also taken against car dealers who had parked vehicles on public roads.
Ahmad said teams were moving across the area to identify choke points and initiate similar drives wherever required. He said sustained enforcement over the past two months had led to gradual improvement in traffic flow. “This is a concerted effort. If we stop, things will again deteriorate. People’s habits are also involved. Traffic mobility improves only as long as we are continuously on the road,” he said.
The SSP said the department was focusing on curbing roadside parking, particularly near hospitals and busy commercial areas. He cited SMHS and the Mominabad area as locations where complaints had been received and action was underway.
On ambulance movement and access to hospitals, Ahmad said enforcement alone was not a long-term solution. “We need to make parking spaces. Driving and picking up cars is not enough. There is a need for multi-level parking or designated parking areas wherever space is available,” he said.
He said patients visiting OPDs from distant areas, especially on Mondays, faced major difficulties due to lack of parking.
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