Details

Written by: Current News Service

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 06 January 2017

• ‘Not speaking of interiors even main roads not cleared from snow’

SRINAGAR: Headless Srinagar Municipal Corporation was nowhere in sight on Friday when people particularly the commuters were struggling on roads accumulated with heavy snow. Due to accumulated snow, roads became slippery leading to massive traffic jams in Rambagh, Hyderpora, Dalgate, Abdullah Bridge, Khanyar, Karan Nagar, Batamaloo and other parts of city.

“Not speaking of interiors, even main roads were not cleared that added to the woes of the commuters. We don’t expect anything from SMC which is headless in a season when people require its services,” a commuter who was stuck in traffic jam for more than 3 hours at Rambagh told news agency CNS. People said that no machine was pressed into service to clear the snow from the roads. People faced immense hardships. An SMC official claimed that more than 20 snow-clearance machines were pressed into service, a claim refuted by people. “I didn’t any road that was cleared from snow,” said a commuter.

Accumulated snow has blocked the roads everywhere. Some patients who had appointment with doctors couldn’t make it while students were unable to attend the tuition classes. “You can’t believe, I missed Friday congregational prayers as I was stuck in traffic jam for hours,” said an elderly person. Various areas including Habba Kadal, Fateh Kadal, Jawahar Nagar, Barzalla, Mehjoor Nagar and Batamaloo said that no SMC official even bothered to visit the localities to take the assessment of the situation. “Power supply is affected in our areas and the PDD officials are unable to press their men to restore it due to interior blocked roads,” they said.

Due to non-clearance of snow from main and interior roads, people said they were unable to get essential commodities from the market. “We didn’t get milk and bread as shopkeepers have preferred to shut down the shutters due to blocked roads.” “We didn’t see electricity whole day. It was difficult for people to venture out from their houses. Administration is in slumber though at some inter-sections we see cops helping commuters to make way for their vehicles,” said a government employee.