Srinagar, Oct 5: Days after authorities introduced a new traffic management plan in Baramulla town to ease congestion and ensure smoother vehicular movement, commuters and locals are complaining of increased traffic jams and inconvenience at several points.
The traffic plan, implemented under the supervision of the Assistant Regional Transport Office (ARTO) Baramulla, involves the installation of barricades at key junctions, diversion of vehicular movement and deployment of traffic personnel at sensitive locations.
However, the measures appear to have created fresh bottlenecks at several places, with residents alleging that unnecessary diversions and barricades are adding to the congestion instead of easing it.
Under the new plan, heavy vehicles have been restricted from entering certain areas during peak hours, while designated diversion routes have been introduced to reduce pressure on the central market and adjoining areas.
Barricades have also been installed at busy intersections to regulate vehicular movement and ensure that motorists follow designated routes.
However, locals said the new arrangements have resulted in traffic snarls at various locations.
“Instead of reducing congestion, the barricades and diversions are creating additional bottlenecks. Vehicles are being forced to take unnecessary routes, which is leading to more traffic jams,” said Ishfaq Ahmad, a local of Tawheed Ganj area.
Irshad Ahmad, a daily commuter said that while regulating traffic is necessary in Baramulla, the diversion plan needs to be reviewed based on the ground situation.
“We understand that traffic needs to be managed, but the arrangements should make movement easier rather than complicate it. The authorities should identify the points where traffic is getting stuck and make immediate corrections,” he said.
The ARTO Baramulla also visited the town on Monday to assess the traffic situation and take stock of the implementation of the new plan.
With Baramulla witnessing increasing vehicular movement, commuters said a coordinated traffic management mechanism involving the traffic police, transport authorities and civil administration was needed to ensure that the measures intended to ease congestion do not become a cause of further traffic snarls.
However, ARTO Baramulla Mudasir Wani said the plan has been introduced with the objective of streamlining vehicular movement and reducing congestion in the busy township.
“The traffic diversions have been introduced to streamline movement and reduce congestion in the town. The objective is to bring discipline to the growing traffic and make commuting safer and more organised for both drivers and pedestrians,” the ARTO said.
