Anti-encroachment campaigns up in Valley, courtesy IG Rath

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 22

To ensure hassle-free traffic movement, civic bodies with active assistance of the traffic police, have stepped up efforts to get rid of encroachments which are a major hurdle in smooth traffic movement.

The drive against encroachers is not only limited to Srinagar city. Shopkeepers in different areas across the Valley have been warned of stern action if they continued to encroach upon roads and footpaths. In fact, Kashmir’s Divisional Commissioner recently directed officials to impose a fine of Rs 40,000 on shopkeepers who kept their merchandise outside shops.

“Every agency has got active to ensure smooth traffic in Srinagar city,” an official of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation said.

Recently, Basant Rath, Inspector General, Traffic, who has made a difference on ground after taking over in February, filed a police complaint against a hotel owner when a footpath outside his hotel in Rajbagh was being removed.

“We are getting immense response from the public over the anti-encroachment drives. A lot still needs to be done to get rid of the 30-year-old menace. People have high hopes from Rath to streamline vehicular movement,” a senior traffic official said.

“There is also some criticism but overall, there is hope that traffic issues can be addressed which once looked like an untreatable disease,” he added.

There has been a phenomenal growth in the number of vehicles across Kashmir. In the absence of adequate and quality mass transport system, people are using personal vehicles which mainly lead to congestion on roads.

SP, Traffic, Muzaffar Shah said there was an upward trend as people were largely following traffic rules now.