Make plan to ensure smooth flow of traffic during Amarnath Yatra: Official

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta Thursday directed for framing a proper plan to ensure smooth flow of traffic during the annual Amarnath Yatra, which is scheduled to begin next month.

Chaired a meeting here to review the traffic arrangements in the Srinagar city, Mehta said the experience of pilgrims and tourists should be pleasant so that they promote the Union territory as a tourist destination.

The chief secretary also reviewed the status of traffic movement on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra and the ongoing tourist season.

Enquiring about the traffic arrangements for the yatra, Mehta said a proper plan should be framed to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

He said the coming months should not witness any traffic jams and all preparations have to be made in advance to plug any loopholes.

In the meeting, the chief secretary enjoined upon the officers that the experience of Amarnath yatris and other tourists should be pleasant so that they promote Jammu and Kashmir as a tourist destination back home.

He also asked the traffic department to hold a stakeholders' consultation and formulate SOPs which all of them comply with without need for coercive measures.

Mehta stressed upon the officers to take all necessary measures to smoothen the flow of traffic in Srinagar and all other areas with zero tolerance against offences like illegal parking and lane indiscipline.

He expressed concern on the traffic snarls around the Dal Lake area and directed the officials concerned to take corrective measures in this regard at the earliest.

Maintaining that checking points should not create unnecessary problems for commuters, the chief secretary directed the traffic authorities to make their checking methods more people friendly.

He said there should be no halting of buses at their will and those should stop only at designated locations.