Srinagar: The J&K High Court directed the Principal Secretary Transport department to consider suggestions made in Urban Congestion Report before framing any policy and rules for decongesting traffic mess in Jammu and Kashmir.
The court also directed the official to file a compliance report of the order passed by court on 10 March, 2020 seeking a robust and effective mechanism from the government to tackle the traffic issues.
The court noted that despite directives no action has been taken by respondents.
“Respondents were required to place the consideration of the policy/appropriate rules for the traffic issues which has been stated in the status report of the transport department but there is no further action on their part,” the court said.
“Let Principal Secretary of the Government file a compliance report before the next date of hearing,” it said.
Meantime, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Traffic, J&K filed a status report dated 25 July, 2020 detailing the hindrances/ inconveniences of general public as well as commuters in the city of Jammu on account of indiscriminate parking of vehicles.
The officer submitted that there is an imperative need for designation of proper parking places in the region.
It was further submitted through the report that locations for roadside parking have been identified by the authorities of Traffic Police, Jammu Municipal Corporation and Jammu Development Authority.
Ateeb Kanth, Amicus in the matter submitted that instead of taking a comprehensive view in the matter, the respondents are making ad hoc suggestions which will not address the basic traffic congestion issues.
The court of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta after perusing the status report and hearing the submissions of Amicus recorded ‘interests of justice require that immediate steps for decongestion of traffic be taken.’
“We, therefore, permit the respondents for the time being to utilise the site identified for parking slots enclosed with the status report,” court directed.
The court will again hear the matter on November 5.
Earlier, the court had asked for removal of roadside parking and encroachments for streamlining the traffic.
In its order on September 12, 2018 the court had issued several directions to authorities, which include removal of encroachment from pavements, identification of taxi/cab stands, curbing road side parking and providing parking zones, besides providing vending locations for street vendors so that they ‘must not operate on roads.

NUSRAT SIDIQ