Srinagar: With Sanat Nagar–Rangreth road stretch witnessing frequent traffic jams, commuters and locals have demanded expansion of the road leading to vital installations and industries.
The project to widen the important road link, which is the lone surface link to Rangreth, one of the biggest Industrial estates of Kashmir has been dumped by the government “for unknown reasons.”
The road assumes significance as it also leads several establishments including JAKLI center, GREF headquarters and Airforce Station.
“Convoys of defence forces are seen moving on this road more often. Also the population residing along the road has swelled with the result this link often witnessing traffic jams for hours causing inconvenience to commuters,” said Nisar Ahmad a Rangreth resident.
The industrialists who are operating their units at Rangreth industrial estate also decry frequent traffic jams on the road.
The road stretch from Sanat Nagar is narrow and has never been widened despite manifold increase in traffic flow. Frequent traffic jams also impact timely flow of goods and raw material to and fro the industrial park at Rangreth.
Businessmen operating their industrial units from Rangreth industrial estate and residents living along the Sanat Nagar-Rangreth road have appealed to the government to sanction widening of the stretch to facilitate smooth traffic and conduct of trade.
“It is highly unfortunate,” said Tariq Ahmad, an industrial unit holder at Rangreth.
“For development of trade and commerce there is a dire need of upgrading road infrastructure, however in Kashmir this basic principle is not followed.”
Ahmad said businessmen were also facing problems due to the fact that Army headquarters is located at the end of the road and their convoys halt traffic for hours leading to losses in business.
Residents living in colonies along the road have sought intervention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for sanctioning a widening project..
According to public works department officials, a plan to undertake four-laning of the stretch was envisaged in late 1970s, but the project never materialised due to failure of officials to put it up for central funding schemes.
“The proposal has not seen the light of the day. In the 70s and 80s the road from Barzulla Baghat to Rangreth was used only by a few vehicles of army and SRTC buses and hardly any private and public transport would ply on it,” the official said.
“The breadth of the road has since then remained the same, rather it has shrunk due to encroachment of roadside at a few places.”
A senior Roads and Building department official said that currently there is no proposal to widen this stretch. “It can be only taken up if the government feels there is a need to do so.”