Drivers withdraw cabs on vital Mitrigam-Pulwama road over ‘minor scuffle’, locals suffer
Services will resume on Wednesday: ARTO
Pulwama: Commuters travelling on the Mitrigam-Pulwama road in the south Kashmir district are facing a tough time due to non-availability of passenger vehicles on the vital route for the last one week.
Locals told ‘Kashmir Vision’ that sumo drivers had stopped plying their vehicles on the route after a “minor scuffle” between them and some shopkeepers.
“Since then, the sumo drivers have started plying their vehicles on other routes and no public transport is available on this vital road now,” a local said.
They said hundreds of commuters from Mitrigam, Dadoora, Murran and its adjacent areas were facing a lot of inconvenience due to the deadlock.
A driver said that there was no stand for Mitrigam route which forces them to park their cabs in front of the local shops.
He said the shopkeepers always object to the parking of cabs in front of their shops “and sometimes it turns into a scuffle”.
Locals urged authorities to take cognizance of the issue and take immediate steps to restore service on the route so that they can have a sigh of relief.
They also asked the authorities to identify land for a taxi stand for cab drivers plying on the Mitrigam route so that the issue is resolved once for all.
When contacted ARTO Pulwama, Mukhtar Ahmad said they had held a meeting with the drivers as well the local shopkeepers over the matter.
Mukhtar hoped the cab services will resume normally from Wednesday.
“We have taken up the issue of identification of land (for taxi stand) with DDC Pulwama and he has assured of every possible help,” he further added.
Jahangeer Ganaie
