Mehbooba underlines need for streamlining J-K's urban transport

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today underlined the need for blending long term and short solutions for streamlining urban transport in the state in view of the increasing vehicular population.
Over 1.20 lakh vehicles are added to the roads every year in the state, 80 per cent comprising of two wheelers.
Describing traffic management and urban mobility as the critical areas which needed attention during policy formulations, Mehbooba directed divisional commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu regions to lead an inter departmental response in clearing encroachments on the roads.
They were also directed to lay out route plans and ensure proper management of vehicular population in the state.

Chairing a high-level meeting here, the chief minister asked municipal authorities of Jammu and Srinagar to make registration of road vendors compulsory and relocate them appropriately to smoothen the traffic movement in the two cities.
Mehbooba asked agencies concerned to consult and refer to the progress made in water transport mode since her taking up the idea with the Centre last summer.

She also directed junction management at critical spots in the cities and towns so that the problem of traffic jams is addressed timely.
The chief minister, during the meeting, was informed about various measures being taken to address urban mobility issue in the state, an official spokesman said.

He said she was briefed about the pace of work on parking slots across the state, intelligent traffic system and decongesting traffic in critical areas in the two capital cities and other places.
The meeting was also informed that water transport system has the potential to offset 30 per cent of trips besides reviving the heritage quotient of the two cities, the spokesman said.
He said the agencies concerned have identified 10 routes in this regard.