Traffic management needs overhaul
By: Khan Irshad
A proper traffic management system is essential for smooth vehicular movement, safety, and reduced congestion, especially in cities and metropolitan regions.
In the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, the cities of Srinagar and Jammu hold significant importance, not just as administrative and commercial hubs, but also as major tourist destinations, attracting both domestic and international travellers.
However, both cities have increasingly witnessed frequent and prolonged traffic jams, where passenger vehicles, private cars, ambulances, security forces, tourists, and pilgrims (Yatris) often remain stranded for hours.
This has become a daily routine, causing immense inconvenience to all,patients, government employees, doctors, advocates, judges, and the general public who need to reach their destinations on time.
In recent years, many major road crossings in both Srinagar and Jammu have been closed for u-turns forcing vehicles to reroute through newly created crossing points. While this was done with the intention of decongesting traffic, it has not gone well with the traffic management.
People now travel long distances unnecessarily, and traffic congestion has only increased at alternate junctions. This decision appears ineffective and needs urgent re-evaluation. Instead of closing key intersections, the authorities should have implemented digital traffic systems to regulate and optimize vehicle movement.
Another issue is the lack of coordination among stakeholders. The Traffic Police and the concerned departments have not adequately engaged with urban planners, civic bodies, transport experts and local communities to devise a realistic and inclusive policy.
Furthermore, traffic lights at many junctions have been removed or are non-functional, despite their proven success in other cities across the country for managing intersections and reducing chaos.
While penalizing traffic violators is an important deterrent and regulatory tool, the current system of issuing challans is flawed. Often, traffic personnel are seen clicking pictures of vehicles with mobile phones rather than actively managing traffic or guiding commuters. This creates a perception that the focus is on revenue generation rather than ensuring smooth traffic flow. Moreover, issuing challans without giving violators an opportunity to be heard is unfair.
Earlier, CCTV-based challan systems had been introduced, which brought transparency and accountability. However, these were never expanded to cover all parts of Jammu and Srinagar. A city-wide surveillance and automated challan system could prove highly effective in addressing violations while reducing the burden on field staff.
Suggested Measures for Improvement
Initiate and Expedite Metro Projects: Begin construction of the proposed Metro systems in both Jammu and Srinagar at the earliest. Ensure the network covers all city zones, district headquarters, tourist hotspots, and religious destinations such as Mughal Gardens, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, and others.
1.Restore and Digitally Upgrade All Crossing Points: Reopen sealed crossings and equip them with modern traffic light systems, digital signage, and smart traffic sensors for better regulation.
- Shift Traffic Department’s Focus to Management, Not Just Challans: Encourage traffic personnel to focus on active traffic regulation rather than just issuing challans. Success should be measured by the reduction in violations and congestion, not revenue generation.
- Deploy Adequate Manpower during Peak Hours: Ensure sufficient traffic personnel are posted at key intersections and high-density zones, especially during peak hours to facilitate real-time regulation.
- Rationalize School and Office Timings: Introduce staggered timings for schools and offices to reduce peak-hour congestion.
- Implement Odd-Even Vehicle Policy: Adopt the odd-even system for vehicle movement on select days or zones, similar to the model used in Delhi, to reduce traffic volume.
- Regulate Patient Referrals to City Hospitals: Direct district hospitals to avoid unnecessary referrals to Srinagar/Jammu hospitals, except in emergencies. Simultaneously, upgrade district healthcare facilities with necessary infrastructure, diagnostics, and emergency services.
- Widen Roads and Improve Connectivity: Undertake widening of city roads, by-lanes, and main corridors. Construct four-lane roads connecting both cities with all district headquarters for smoother inter-district travel.
- Expand Rail Connectivity: Extend the rail network to all districts and tourist/religious sites, including Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Shri Amarnath Ji, and others, to reduce reliance on road transport.
A well-planned, inclusive, and technology-driven traffic management system is the need of the hour for the cities of Jammu and Srinagar. The administration must prioritize infrastructure development, stakeholder collaboration, and modern traffic systems to ensure smoother travel, reduced congestion, and improved quality of life for all residents and visitors of these two vital urban centers.
