STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, on Monday chaired a meeting of senior officers of civil and police administration to take stock of the steps essentially required to be taken for improving traffic management system in the two Capital Cities of Srinagar and Jammu.
To achieve this, he issued directions to the Traffic Police to show results within the next one week by strictly enforcing rules and inculcating discipline amongst people so that movement of vehicles on roads is better managed.
Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar, Director General of Police, K. Rajendra, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, B.B Vyas, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Samoon, ADGP, Armed, S.M Sahai, IGP, Kashmir, S.J.M Gilani, Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Farooq Ahmad Shah, VC LAWDA, Sarmad Hafeez, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Lone, IG Traffic, J.P Singh, Transport Commissioner, Pervez Iqbal Khateeb, Commissioner, SMC, Tufail Mattoo, RTO, Kashmir, Mahmood Ahmad Shah and Chief Engineer, R&B, Kashmir, Satish Razdan, attended the meeting.
Directing the DGP to commit additional manpower in the City Traffic wings for better regulation, the Chief Minister called for stringent action against those who defy rules on use of mobile phones while driving and jumping traffic signal lights.
Asserting that safety of pedestrians cannot be compromised at any cost, he directed IG Traffic to identify and take action against stunt bikers as well those who desist from using helmets and seat belts while on the wheel.
Placing high priority on procurement of luxury coaches for round-the-clock availability on significant city roads leading to SKIMS, SMHS and Boulevard in Srinagar and SMGS, Satwari and Janipur in Jammu, Mufti Sayeed directed the PWD to immediately start surface improvement of roads to facilitate faster movement of vehicles.
The Chief Minister further emphasized that the parking slots which are presently available in the capital cities be made immediately functional to ease congestion.
He desired that measures be initiated to discourage roadside parking which leads to choking at several places resulting in traffic jams that go on for hours together.
Mufti Sayeed also desired that more locations be brought under the ambit of traffic signal lights in the city centres.
In light of the approaching holy month of Ramadhan, the Chief Minister directed the Commissioner, SMC, to make all streetlights functional so that people are facilitated during Fajr and Tarawih prayers. He also directed the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, to address on priority the issue of shortage of drinking water in many downtown areas.
While briefing the Chief Minister, IG Traffic said several bottlenecks, especially at Pantha Chowk, Batmaloo, Rambagh, Dalgate and Zero Bridge in Srinagar and Bikram Chowk, Indra Chowk, Residency Road, Talab Tillo and Janipur in Jammu city have been identified and steps are being taken to regulate the traffic for which additional manpower is being requisitioned.
