Srinagar: Ali Mohammad, a lean man in his late fifties with a knee ailment had to walk almost 10 kilometres to accompany his two daughters who were appearing in class 10 examinations on Tuesday.
He walked from his residence at Aali Kadal in Srinagar to Sri Pratap Higher Secondary School at Maulana Azad road as public transport remained off the roads in Srinagar and elsewhere.
Shutdown in Kashmir intensified on Tuesday on the arrival of European Union lawmakers causing massive problem to students in reaching to their examination centres. Many students were seen seeking lifts from the few private vehicles on roads.
Students and parents blamed the government for not making arrangements for their transport as they had to walk on foot or use their own vehicles amid shutdown.
Mohammad, who said, he walked through interiors to reach the examination centre was aghast at the government for not providing transport to students.
Like him, hundreds of parents complained about lack of transport saying the government except for assurances did nothing to facilitate students.
“Where is the transport? They (authorities) announced on news channels that they will make transport available for students. But on ground, we had to walk on foot,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a parent from Firdousabad while waiting outside the Girls Higher Secondary School Kothi Bagh where his son was appearing in class 10 exams.
In Pampore town, a teacher who was conducting exams said he too faced problems in reaching the centre.
Amid the complaints, Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE), which is supervising and conducting the examinations, said 99 percent of students appeared in exams.
JKBOSE Secretary, Riyaz Ahmad, said that around 500 of the 65,000 students remained absent.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan claimed that transport for the students and teachers was available in all districts.

Irshad Khan