Srinagar, Aug 1: Residents of Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have urged the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) to immediately restore the direct bus service between Uri and Srinagar, saying its suspension has caused immense inconvenience to scores of daily commuters.
The direct JKRTC bus, which used to depart from Uri at 8:00 am and return from Srinagar at 1:30 pm, was a lifeline for patients, students, government employees and other commuters travelling to the summer capital. However, locals said the service has remained suspended for nearly two months, forcing them to depend on multiple modes of transport to reach their destinations.
Residents said the withdrawal of the bus has particularly affected people who travel regularly for medical treatment, educational purposes and official work.
“The direct bus was the most convenient and affordable mode of transport for us. Patients could reach hospitals in Srinagar on time, students attended colleges without difficulty, and employees reached their offices conveniently. Now we have to change vehicles several times, which is both time-consuming and expensive,” said a resident of Uri.
Many commuters said that although the JKRTC operated a bus service from Nambla village to Baramulla until yesterday, the corporation has now revised its schedule, restoring the earlier timing.
“The bus is picked up from Nambla and operates only up to Baramulla. There is no direct JKRTC bus service available between Uri and Srinagar anymore. Earlier, the bus used to leave Baramulla for Uri at 4 pm, but its departure time has now been changed to 1 pm, which is not convenient for employees. We fail to understand why the direct Uri–Srinagar service has not been restored despite repeated requests,” a government employee posted in Baramulla told Rising Kashmir.
Locals said the absence of a direct government-operated bus has increased their dependence on private transport, resulting in higher travel costs and inconvenience, particularly for elderly passengers and those requiring frequent hospital visits.
They urged the authorities to restore the service without further delay, saying the direct bus had served as an essential public transport link for people living in the border town.
However, the Managing Director and General Manager of JKRTC did not respond to repeated phone calls from Rising Kashmir despite multiple attempts to seek their response.
