The traffic department which has started drive against the violators in Srinagar Monday raised several checkpoints around commercial hub Lal Chowk to book bikers without crash helmets and requisite documents.In a distance of less than 1 Km, almost four checkpoints were raised by the traffic cops intercepting law violating motorists and were either sexing their vehicles or were charging fine from them.According to the eye-witnesses, while the cops raised checkpoints on the road, the bikers were taking U turn to avoid checking. “Scores of bikers take U turn when they saw the cops intercepting the law violators on the road leading to Royal Spring Golf Course,” they said.
They said that despite U turn scores of bikers were also stranded on the Samandar Bagh road near Directorate of School Education waiting for removing of checkpoints raised by the traffic cops.SSP Traffic, Srinagar, Maqsood-ul-Zaman said that the drive against the law violators has been started months ago. “We have raised couple of barricades on the road to intercept the bikers without crash helmets and requisite papers,” he told KNS.He said that the drive against the offenders will continue. “Traffic department is trying its level best to make Srinagar violation free area,” he said, adding that it stands their “fundamental duty” to enforce laws for the well-being of motorists.
Shopkeepers and other business establishments at commercial hub Lal Chowk have been crying hoarse about the severity of the checking and vehicle seizures.“This is the first time when scores of checkpoints were raised in a distance of less than 1KM,” rues Shameem, a shopkeeper at Lal Chowk. “Traffic cops have been deployed at places where it is unfeasible to avoid them,” he said.He had to slink his way through Barbarshah to avoid checking at near Women’s College, MA road and SP College. “It was hectic day for the bikers to avoid checking as the traffic cops have heightened the security manifolds like the way I have ever seen,” he said. (KNS)