Srinagar: Sumo drivers plying from Lal Chowk to Harwan on Wednesday protested against traffic department.
The protesting drivers told media that the traffic department was not allowing them to stop on stations and “unnecessarily challan” them.
“Now a days we are not allowed to enter to Lal chowk as the SSP traffic says that you don’t have the permission. So we appeal the government to give us a place where we can keep our sumo’s and ply on the route provided by the Traffic department,” Bashir Ahmad, a driver, said.
Tariq Ahmad, another driver while speaking to INS said: “I am plying from Harwan to Jehangir Chowk but always I have to keep the eye on traffic personals so as to escape from getting unnecessarily challaned but from few days we are not allowed to enter in city centre Lal chowk where from we pick and drop the passengers.”
Showkat Ahmad, another sumo driver said, “We are ready to cooperate with authorities provided the route plan allows hassle-free pick and drop our passengers. We appeal to the Traffic department to issue a route plan as soon as so that the commentators are not made to suffer.”
Local residents said that the sumo drivers were on strike as a result of which public was subjected to hardship.
“I request the government to be alive to the problems of commuters as most of the people travel from Harwan to Jehangir chowk via sumo,” said Bashir Ahmad.