Monday, June 9th, 2018: The district government in the town of Anantnag in south Kashmir implemented an innovative traffic management system on Friday, which has been met with praise from commuters and locals alike.
Lal Chowk, the district’s commercial epicentre, was significantly decongested when the government rerouted passenger and Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) traffic away from the region.
Shahnawaz Ahmad, a local of Anantnag town, remarked, “For the first time, I walked around with such ease.”
He said that the residents of Anantnag had been asking for years for the traffic situation to improve.
In other words, “now the patients visiting Government Medical College and its associated hospital, MCHH can show up on time,” Ahmad remarked.
According to one commuter, tremendous traffic congestion leads to lengthy tailbacks, which is a major problem for locals and those going to and from work.
He complained that the gridlocked traffic made his normally 5-minute trip take 30 minutes. “These frustrating traffic jams are a thing of the past thanks to the new traffic management.”
Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and passenger LMVs are no longer allowed to travel between Mehnadi Kadal and Janglat Mandi through Lal Chowk, per an order issued last week by District Magistrate Syeed Fakhrudin.
The Mehndai Kadal-Achajipora Bypass must be used by these vehicles at all times in accordance with the instruction.
“Only LMVs and light goods vehicles will be allowed to enter the stretch before 7 am and after 7 pm,” said the regulation.
It also emphasised the need of creating parking-free zones between Mehndi Kadal and Jangalat Mandi.
The Municipal Council of Anantnag has also requested that the Traffic Police seal up all intersections and crossings in the area.
