Srinagar, Mar 3: Amid ongoing Smart City projects in Srinagar’s commercial hub Lal chowk, and closure of MA Road and Residency Road for public transport, authorities have started the e-rickshaw service for the convenience of people.
The –e-rickshaw service has been started on the appeal of students and traders who have been facing inconvenience in absence of public transport services at MA Road and Residency Road in Lal Chowk. The passengers said that the same was taking a heavy toll on students, shoppers, and office goers.
“We are glad that e-rickshaw service has been started after the issue was highlighted. We used to board buses or sumos from outside the college, but following the closure of the roads for public transport, we faced a lot of inconveniences. We had to walk for a mile to catch a bus or sumo. E-rickshaw service will make things easy for us. If we board an auto-rickshaw, they charge exorbitant prices, and as students, we cannot afford that,” Tanzeela, a student, said.
The business community had also appealed to authorities to ensure the starting of e-rickshaw service so that all shoppers, office-goers, and students can travel without any issues.
“We understand that smart city projects are going on, and we fully support the development projects. However, e-rickshaw service for students, shoppers and office goers is important. Students especially are facing a lot of issues as authorities have closed these road stretches for public transport,” said Farhan Kitab, a trade union leader at Lal Chowk.
To mention, smart city projects have ended up narrowing down and closing of roads in various areas of Srinagar city. Now the authorities, in order to avoid traffic jams, have put in place some restrictions on the vehicles plying in the city center. Officials said that these are temporary measures and will end in a few weeks.
When the issue was raised with the authorities, the officials said that they will find an alternative. They said that there are open manholes and other construction work across these roads following development projects.
“Things will go normal on these road stretches in a few days. Till then, we will explore every possibility so that students and other passengers won’t suffer,” said an official.
Muzaffar Ahmed Shah, SSP traffic City said that on Friday the E-rickshaw service has been started after the issue was brought into his notice.
“Till these corridors will be open, we have started an e-rickshaw service along Residency Road. We are hopeful that it will benefit all the passengers, especially students in the area. The major work on these projects will be completed sometime and traffic will be back to normal,” Shah added.