By Ovais Gul
Srinagar: Even as the authorities directed transport companies to ensure evening transport facilities in the summer capital, a large number of commuters including females and old aged people could be seen stranded at several places in the commercial Hub Lal Chowk here in evenings, hoping to get a public transport vehicle reach their destinations.
The passengers expressed resentment against the authorities for failing to ensure the facilities in evening hours, saying that they are facing immense hardships in evening hours to reach their destinations.
Talking to INS, Farooq Ahmad, one of the commuters said that the authorities have failed to check the availability of transport facility ion evening hours, thereby leaving the commuters to lurch at large.
“The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir had issued an order asking the authorities concerned to ensure transport facilities in the evenings but it is unfortunately the order was implemented only for day as no transport is available for the commuters here,” he added.
Farooq urged the Divisional Commissioner to look into the matter at an earliest and ensure transport facilities in the evening hours. “The commuters could be seen waiting for passenger vehicle on Jahangir Chowk to JVC Bemina route but the commuters especially the attendants of the patients who are admitted at JVC hospital are being forced to face hardships,” he said.
A female government employees echoed the similar views, saying she hardly find any ladies special bus or any passenger vehicle in the evenings. “It is unfortunate that no traffic is available in evenings especially to the women commuters,” she added.
RTO Kashmir, Ikramullah Tak told INS that the divisional commissioner has taken strict notice into the matter; thereafter a meeting with transport companies was held in which it was directed that the transport must be available in the evening hours.
He added that an employee from RTO and transport companies are being tasked very evening to ensure the transport is available on roads. “In case there is no transport available after 04:30, the employees and transport company worker make the passenger vehicle available hurriedly,” he said.
About ladies buses, he said that the less ladies busses are currently functioning in Kashmir but they hope that the number will be increased.
He also said that electric bus in Srinagar will also be made functional next year.
