Residents demand restoration of bus service from Amirabad Tral to Srinagar via Dadsara
Pulwama: Locals from Amirabad, Drumbal, Hurdimir, Dadsara and Chandrigam in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have urged authorities to restore the erstwhile bus service from Amirabad to Srinagar via Dadsara, which they say has been causing hardships ever since it was diverted to start from Tral.
According to the residents, the bus service that previously originated from Amirabad catered to a large number of commuters, including employees, students, and patients traveling to Srinagar on a daily basis. However, the sudden alteration of the route has left many dependent villages struggling for reliable transportation.
“We are facing huge difficulties. Earlier, the bus from Drumbal would take us directly via Dadsara to Srinagar. Now, with the change, we have to spend extra money on shared cabs just to reach Tral town before boarding the bus,” said Umair Khan, a local passenger.
Another resident from Hurdimir, Abdul Hamid, said that the diversion has hit office-goers the most. “Employees used to rely on this bus for timely travel to their workplaces in Srinagar. With this new arrangement, they are left with no proper option, and the alternative transport is both costly and time-consuming,” he added.
Women passengers have also expressed concern, citing safety and convenience. “Earlier it was easier for us to board the bus from our own locality. Now we are compelled to first travel in overcrowded cabs to Tral, which is neither comfortable nor safe, especially for female passengers,” said Shazia Akhtar, a resident of Chandrigam.
The locals said they had already submitted an application to the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC).
According to them, the authorities informed that Secretariat staff prefer the Tral–Nawdal bus, while the Drumbal-originating bus is mostly used by local employees.
However, residents argue that this reasoning overlooks the daily struggles of the wider population. “It seems our needs have been completely ignored. The Secretariat staff may prefer another route, but what about hundreds of locals from our villages who depend on this service?” asked Mohammad Yousuf, another commuter.
The residents have appealed to the higher authorities to intervene and ensure the restoration of the bus service from Drumbal/Amirabad to Srinagar via Dadsara.
They said such a step would provide relief to the affected villages and restore accessibility for the common people.
