HM Desk
Commuters from various parts of Srinagar and its outskirts have expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of reliable public transportation on many routes in the evening hours, which makes it difficult for them to take a ride back home.
Commuters, particularly women, are annoyed with the non-availability of evening public transportation on important city routes such as Hazratbal, Nishat, Soura, and Pampore, which forces them to leave for home early.
The problem has worsened since last month, as most cab drivers opt to depart early owing to the decline in temperature and visibility. Finding a Sumo or a bus after 5 p.m. is quite difficult, as barely 5-10% of vehicles ply city roads in the evening. The traffic department is only interested in penalizing people and raising revenue for the department and themselves, while the general public continues to suffer.
As public transportation vanishes from the roads early in the evening, hundreds of commuters can be spotted waiting for the journey back home in the bone-chilling cold. Commuters may be seen waiting for buses at places like Jehangir Chowk, Sonwar, Dalgate, Batmallo, Lal Chowk, Shalteng, Pantha Chowk on a regular basis. Majority of them, even the elderly, may be seen requesting private cars for lifts.
At Jahangir Chowk, a group of Pampore-bound commuters expressed their displeasure over the non-availability of public transport in the evening hours.
Finding a bus on some routes, such as Soura, where only mini-buses operate, is even more difficult, as buses disappear after 5 p.m., leaving commuters in the middle of nowhere. Finding a bus in the evening has become difficult. We have had this problem before, but it has got worse for the last one month, ” a local from Soura said, adding that the government must ensure public transport on this route as it leads to SKIMS which is a premier hospital in the valley.
As people scramble to catch a bus, women are forced to wait longer since they are unable to compete with men for getting into the bus. “If there is a vehicle, men press their way aboard it, leaving women and the elderly behind. One needs to fight their way inside,” a woman said.
According to commuters in Darbagh, Harvan, and Danihama, Sumos ply on these routes throughout the day but move to shorter destinations after 3 p.m.
