Srinagar, May 15,: Thousands of commuters from across Kashmir are grappling with daily inconvenience following the discontinuation of direct Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) bus services to Lal Chowk, Srinagar’s central hub.
Instead of terminating at the city centre, RTC buses from districts and towns such as Anantnag, Bandipora, Kupwara, Sopore, Budgam, and Ganderbal now halt at peripheral points like Pantha Chowk, Bemina, and Sakedafar. Passengers are left with little choice but to find alternate transport to complete their journey, an added burden that has not gone down well with the public.
“I used to board a single bus from Safapora straight to Lal Chowk. Now I have to change at Bemina and again in the city. It’s time-consuming and exhausting,” said Irhad Ahmed, a student.
For many, the disruption is more than just a logistical inconvenience. Patients, particularly the elderly, now face greater difficulty reaching hospitals and diagnostic centres located in and around Lal Chowk. “The elderly and the sick are the worst affected. They have to hop from one vehicle to another just to get basic care,” said Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Bandipora.
Locals recall how the earlier system of uninterrupted RTC services to the heart of Srinagar offered both comfort and affordability, particularly for students and office-goers. With that convenience now gone, they say the transportation burden has shifted unfairly onto the public.
Voicing growing resentment, commuters have called on JKRTC officials, the Transport Minister, and the government to reinstate direct services to Lal Chowk without further delay. [KNT]
