Srinagar, Apr 20 (PTI) Commuters across the Kashmir Valley faced a harrowing time on Monday as private buses and inter-district cabs stayed off roads in protest against the government’s proposal to expand Smart City bus services in other districts.
The All Jammu and Kashmir Transporters’ Welfare Association on Saturday called for a Valley-wide ‘chakka jam’ (road blockade) over fears that the move may threaten their livelihoods.
“We are facing a lot of difficulties due to this ‘chakka jam’. I work in Srinagar and want to go home to Kupwara. There are no buses or cabs. A lot of people like me have been waiting for transport for over an hour,” said one commuter, Imtiyaz Malik.
He appealed to the government to make arrangements for the people.
Officials said several buses, mini-buses and inter-district cabs did not ply across the Valley. Auto-rickshaws and government buses operated as normal. Shabir Ahmad Matta, president of transporters’ association, urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to stop the proposed expansion of Smart City bus services.
“This ‘chakka jam’ is against the expansion of bus services under the Smart City project in other districts. Recently, the transport minister said 200 more buses will be brought. We are against that, and we condemn it,” Matta said.
“We had told the government not to go ahead with the move. We also told the officials to address our concerns, but they did not,” Matta added.
Matta said the proposed expansion of services in areas such as Pulwama, Kangan and Sopore has triggered fears among transporters over the “loss of livelihood”.
The Smart City bus service, an eco-friendly public transport system, was launched in Jammu and Kashmir in November 2023.
Initially, 100 electric buses were procured for Srinagar and Jammu cities each, with the government announcing free rides for women.
But the officials later proposed expansion to improve connectivity to other district routes amidst growing demands, triggering protests by private transporters. PTI SSB KSI MIN MIN
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