There are reports from different parts of Kashmir regarding lack of public transport services during evening hours. Because of the non-availability of the facility the commuters suffer enormously.
Reports say that immediately after the sunset the public transport goes off the roads in several areas across Kashmir. The commuters find it difficult to catch a buses or sumo to reach their respective destinations.
The office goers, students and all others face the problem. The small number of autorickshaws available over-charge at this time. And these auto-rickshaws are also not available after some time. The commuters have to sometimes walk long distances on foot to reach their homes.
Residents living in a number of residential colonies in Srinagar and people in towns are put to inconvenience because of the lack of public transport. The problem was severe during winter and was expected to improve in summer months.
Despite the summer having already set in, the problem remains unresolved in a number of areas. Reports say that the matter was brought into the notice of concerned authorities frequently by the residents but nothing significant was done. The authorities announced starting of evening government bus services in some areas in srinagar.
But the services are insufficient and there is a need for increase in such services and secondly the authorities must talk to the private transporters and tell them to make the transport services available in evening in most parts of Srinagar city and in other parts of valley as well.
Otherwise, the commuters will continue to suffer. The private transporters will not suffer losses if the evening bus and sumo services are made available. During summer there is lot of public movement till late evening hours. In winter the movement is very less during such hours.
The authorities must identify such routes where such problems are severe and resolve the problem. The commuters must not be made to suffer just because the Road Transport Corporation has not adequate number of buses or private transporters are not ready to ply their vehicles during evening hours. Some way out has to be found out at the earliest. The problem must not prolong and solution should not be delayed.