Highway cleared but mismanaged

Mismanagement of traffic and BEACON authorities marred the smooth flow of vehicular traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, today despite the fact that majority of stranded passengers were dispatched to their respective destinations.

Reports from Banihal said that mismanagement of traffic and BEACON authorities affected the flow of vehicular traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway today. Our correspondent who trekked down from Verinag to Banihal reported that the highway was almost clear and there were no slippery conditions as the snow was completely removed from the road. Despite clearance of the highway, traffic was not allowed to move smoothly by both Traffic and BEACON authorities.

The traffic authorities haphazardly took decision to resume traffic from both ends of the highway which created mess on the highway. The authorities in the morning flashed a message that the vehicles which will cross Qazigund in the morning would be allowed to proceed towards Jammu. This created confusion among the vehicle operators and later the truckers who crossed Qazigund at 6 AM were also not allowed to move towards Jammu from Jawahar Tunnel, till noon.

The authorities, however, claimed that 1500 vehicles crossed the tunnel towards the valley and 1000 towards Jammu.

The administration claimed to have heaved a sigh a relief when the passengers, who had been stranded for the last few days due to closure of national highway after heavy snowfall, were being dispatched to their respective destinations.

The stranded passengers were sent early in the morning from 4 AM to 7:30 AM in around 200 private passenger vehicles, majority of them light vehicles.

The scenario which had turned quite chaotic over the last few days, particularly at General Bus Stand owing to stagnation of the passengers, was to a large extent normal today.

However, quite a few valley bound as well as enroute passengers were still at the Bus Stand. 

On contacting most of the passengers revealed, “Although the vehicles were available for us but we stayed back on our own due to one reason or the other.”

When contacted, SSP Traffic told Kashmir Times, “The pressure has been released as all the stranded passengers have been cleared. If there are some still remaining, they will be cleared tomorrow subject to weather conditions.”

Along with passengers, valley bound vehicles with essential commodities have also been cleared. 25-30 oil and gas tankers have been cleared in this respect.”