From the residents of Barsoo village of Awantipora Tehsil in Pulwama district
Subject: Concerns over high fares, misbehaviour by Tavera cab drivers, and need for e-bus services
Respected Sir,
We, the residents of Barsoo, Tehsil Awantipora, wish to bring to your attention several concerns related to transportation services that impact our daily lives.
Unjustified fares and passenger treatment
The Tavera cabs running between Anantnag and Srinagar often charge disproportionate fares. Specifically, passengers from Barsoo to Panthachowk are asked to pay Rs 50 per trip, while on return journeys from Dalgate to Barsoo, the fare jumps to Rs 60. Additionally, these cab drivers routinely refuse front and middle seats, insisting passengers stand in the back, which is both unfair and uncomfortable. Regular commuters like us, who depend on these rides daily, deserve a more just fare structure.
Request for official rate list
To prevent arbitrary fare changes, we request a published rate list for these routes. If one already exists, kindly share it with our community. Such transparency would greatly benefit residents and ensure fair treatment for all passengers.
Incidents of misbehaviour
On multiple occasions, residents have been subjected to harassment by Tavera drivers. Recently, Javed Ahmad Mir, a resident of Barsoo, was verbally abused and threatened by a driver (vehicle number JK03C 4265) when he questioned the high fare from Dalgate to Barsoo. We urge your office to take strict action to curb such behaviour.
Urgent need for action
These issues are causing distress for our community members who commute daily. We earnestly request your intervention to establish fair fare practices and courteous treatment for all passengers.
Proposal for e-bus services
In addition, we request the CEO of Smart City and senior officials Shri Anuj Kumar Malhotra (General Manager) and Shri Sajid Ahmad (Chief Financial Officer) to consider launching an e-bus service from Jehangir Chowk to Awantipora via Pampore or Panthachowk. An e-bus service would significantly improve transportation for students, employees, and women, offering a dependable alternative to the current limited and costly options. This would also ease the commute for people from surrounding areas such as Galander, Chandhara, Lethapora, Jawbrara, Barsoo, and Awantipora, where institutions like IUST and the upcoming AIIMS Awantipora are located.
We hope that our plea will be met with understanding and swift action to bring relief to the residents of Barsoo and neighbouring areas.
Yours sincerely,
Aadil Manzoor Dar
Social Activist/RTI Activist
On behalf of the residents of Village Barsoo, Tehsil Awantipora, District Pulwama
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the writer are his own