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1.72 Lakh
Vehicales Zoom Past Commercial Hub: STUDY
Believe it or not. At-least 62 % of the Valley’s
total traffic –amounting to 1,71,568 vehicles
–zoom past the City centre of Lal Chowk and its
vicinity, a study has revealed.
The study completed in May this year by Traffic
police department states that out of the total
of 2,77,198 vehicles registered with the
Regional Transport Office Kashmir till March 31,
2010 as many as 1,71,568 vehicles on an average
ply in the City centre, everyday. This is apart
from the tourist cabs and other non-local
vehicles plying in the City, the number of which
swells with the tourist rush.
Of the Valley’s total vehicle population, 59 %
of the 71,048 commercial vehicles and the 63 %
of 2,06,150 non-commercial travel to City
centre.
Officials said the study has been done to
apprize the government about rush of vehicles
the City centre, a hub of frequent traffic jams
so that the regulation policy could be revamped
accordingly.
“Strenuous study of routes and vehicle was done
for the entire month of May,” said a police
official.
The Traffic police department as sample area for
the study, had demarcated the stretch between:
Jahengir Chowk and Dalgate, TRC crossing via MA
Road and Amira Kadal, which amounts to some six
kilometers of total road length in the three
operational lanes.
It was found that 66 % of the 5794 Ambulances
move via the City centre route while as 54.19
percent of Valley’s total of 6237 minibuses
route the same way.
The topper district of Srinagar has no nearby
competitor from other districts in Kashmir
Valley. Even though district Islamabad comes
next to the summer capital in the traffic rush,
the rush is four times less at 14.54 % of the
total traffic.
As about the cars, 60.93 % of the 79, 243 cabs
zoom past the Lal Chowk and adjacent roads like
MA Road and the Jehangir Chowk. Islamabad
seconds the City rush of the cars. But it’s six
times lesser at 9.95 percent of the total Valley
cars.
40 % of the 14,299 taxis particularly Tata Sumos
ply in the City hub. Of the 11,100
auto-rickshaws playing in the Valley, 89.08
percent of them zoom past Lal Chowk, almost
everyday. This is because the major chunk of
three-wheelers are registered in the City.
About the load carrier rickshaws 46% of the
9,593 vehicles come to Lal Chowk.
The number of two wheelers moving on the City
centre streets is again high at 65 % of the
105,343 registered vehicles.
For those who think tractors, tippers and trucks
don’t come to Lal Chowk, here’s an eye-opener.
In the late hours, once the restriction period
is over, 31% of the 5642 tractors, 50 % of the
1245 tippers and 62.09 of the 18,187 trucks
registered in the Valley ply past the City
centre during the early morning and the late
night hours.
Besides, of the other heavy duty vehicles plying
in the Valley, the City centre bears the peak
load viz 74 % of the 150 platforms, 78 % of the
1244 Tankers and 100 % of the registered 53
trolleys.
Highly placed sources said the then
Superintendent of Police Traffic, Srinagar,
Shokat Shah had got the study done to compile a
proposal for effective traffic management.
When contacted the Shah, who is now SP City
north, confirmed that the study was done in his
tenure.
“We did many such studies and this one was just
one of them to analyse the traffic problem on
engineering lines and seek remedies
accordingly,” Shah told Greater Kashmir.
“But now I am no party to it,’ he clarified.
WHAT COMMERCIAL HUB BEARS
Cars/wagons 48,282=60.93 % of 79, 243
Ambulances 3,824=66 % of 5794
Minibuses buses 3,380=54.19 % 6237
Taxi and Tata sumo 5,719=40 % of 14,299
Jeeps 3,775=81.41 % of 4633
Auto 9,887=89.08 % of 11,100
Auto load carrier of 4,412=46% of 9,593
Two wheelers 68,472=65 % of 105,343 w
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