Unregulated traffic, lack of public transport, broken roads making children suffer: PSAJK

Srinagar, April 03: Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) today criticised government over its inability and inaction to regulate the chaotic traffic and repair the broken roads in Kashmir, due to which lakhs of children are suffering every day.

The Association said that the commuting has become a nightmare for school going children due to the traffic chaos on the roads. “Ever since the schools have opened, we are grappling with a huge issue of traffic problems. On one hand almost all roads are littered with potholes and there is gross mismanagement of traffic. Nobody is following traffic rules with the result traffic jams are increasing with every passing day,” said PSAJK chairman G N Var. “A school bus which used to reach school in half an hour now takes more than an hour to reach the school. Till that time children have to suffer on roads.”

The Association said that the condition of roads is going from bad to worse and with rise in temperature, dust is blowing on roads with growing intensity. “There is so much of pollution first from ever increasing vehicles, many of those have no pollution checks. Secondly there is so much of dust on roads that leave aside children even adults are developing breathing problems and infections,” said Var. “Besides the academic work, even health of children is in danger.”

The Association lambasted the government for being unable to manage the traffic. “There is no regulation of traffic by the concerned departments, with the result road rage, illegal parking, overtakings and other violations have become a norm,” said Var. “The restriction on traffic due to convoys has compounded the problems. They have said school buses are allowed but when the front traffic is closed, school buses are also automatically stuck too.”

The Association called on the government to take emergency measures to regulate traffic in Kashmir, otherwise every sector of the society and economy will be badly impacted. “Public transport and good roads is the basic right of a citizen, unfortunately government is not able to even provide this to the general public. We just need better public transport, good roads and traffic management and government with its huge men and machinery can easily do it if it has a will,” said Var. “They can go for unconventional measures like Odd Even formulae adopted by Delhi. We appeal the administration to take the immediate steps in this regard.”