City Transport: No SRTC vehicles on roads but Corp mulling electric buses

Srinagar, Mar 09: Most of the peripheral areas falling in Downtown and on the shores of Dal, Srinagar are still lacking in an effective and timely public transport system.
Locals living in areas including Nowhatta, Gojwara, Rajouri Kadal, Lal Bazar, Kanitar, Sadrabal, Nishat, Shalimar, and Harwan face a tough time while commuting to and fro on a daily basis.
The worst lot is that of students and employees who, each day, have to waste a lot of time either waiting for a bus or, even if it is available, struggling to find some space in it.
“While coming back from the Central University, Nowgam, if I am a bit late, it makes me worried about how to reach home. It’s really a grave issue and needs an immediate attention from the authorities,” said Burhan Ahmad, a student, from Lal Bazar.
Except a few minicabs, there is hardly any other means of public transport available on the over 10-kilometre-long Boulevard road.
“To travel from Foreshore Road to Nishat, I had to wait for one hour for some bus or mini-cab to pass by. Don’t we have Jammu and Kashmir State Road of Transport Corporation (SRTC) here? What are they doing?” questioned an elderly female of Nishat, who did not reveal her name.
The SRTC hardly runs its buses on city roads and as such has zero contribution in providing whatever little transport is available to the city residents.
It is only privately owned, mostly overcrowded mini-buses and cabs, which are seen plying on the roads.
Asked about it, Mir Afroz, Managing Director, SRTC said: “We are trying our best to make the transport facilities available, not only in the city, but throughout the valley. We’re planning to introduce electric buses soon.”