Stating that effective regulation of traffic is possible only if the concerned agencies including Public Works Department, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Traffic Police and Motor Vehicles Department work in unison and coordination, SSP Traffic, Srinagar Maqsood-ul-Zaman Wednesday said that if people in general will support us and road sense prevails upon them, efficient traffic regulation is manageable not only in Srinagar city but also in whole Kashmir Valley.Maqsood-ul-Zaman along with Regional Transport Officer Kashmir Farooq Ahmed during an interaction with representatives of different media houses said people need to understand the elements and basic of traffic and they ought to change themselves in the interest of the society. “Unless people will not change and will not adhere to traffic rules, system here will not change. We are here to serve people not to punish them,” he said.Majority of the people do not follow traffic rules. You will be shocked to know that last year in 2015 more than one lakh vehicles were challaned for violating traffic rules. The irony is that 17,000 Sumo’s were seized in just five months.
There are some vehicles which were challaned five or six times. We have been preparing a list of these vehicles which violate traffic laws and hopefully with the support of Motor Vehicles Department their license and registration would be cancelled,” SSP Traffic said.Maqsood-ul-Zaman according to CNS said that 70 per cent of the roads have been encroached by vendors. “It is irony that vendors have now started encroaching roads, leave footpaths aside. It is the job of the other agency to clear all the footpaths occupied illegally by vendors. Nobody has right to justify these illegal encroachment. These vendors are source of continuous nuisance for the pedestrians,” he said and appealed people to follow traffic rules in letter and spirit. “I appeal people to follow lane driving, use crash helmets, don’t obstruct the movement of others, don’t overtake, board and alight from the vehicles on designated bus stops,” he said adding that traffic department in collaboration with Motor Vehicles Department will start an awareness campaign regarding the traffic rules.On this occasion RTO Kashmir Farooq Ahmed said that the licenses and registration of all those drivers will be cancelled who frequently violate traffic rules. “My department will fully cooperate with the SSP Traffic for smooth regulation of traffic in Srinagar city,” he said adding that traffic in the city is easily manageable if people will cooperate with them.“We will strictly enforce rules and inculcate discipline amongst people so that movement of vehicles on roads is better managed,” he said and sought the cooperation of people for better traffic regulation. (CNS)