Wrong-side driving, over-speeding goes unchecked on Shalteng- Bemina bypass stretch
Ishtiyaq Kar
Srinagar, Sept 30 (KINS): The busy Shalteng–Bemina bypass stretch, one of the most vital traffic arteries in Srinagar, has turned into a dangerous corridor for motorists and pedestrians alike.
Despite the presence of traffic police, wrong-side driving has become a routine menace at three critical points—near Shalteng, Fruit Mandi, and the Bemina flyover—putting countless lives at risk every day.
At these locations, vehicles can be seen brazenly moving against the flow of traffic. Cars, motorcycles, and even heavy load carriers often zip through from the wrong side, forcing oncoming traffic to screech to a halt and leaving pedestrians terrified while attempting to cross. Locals complain that although traffic police occasionally issue challans, most of the time the dangerous practice goes unchecked.
“This has become a daily nightmare. At Shalteng, we see trucks and cars suddenly appearing from the wrong side. Sometimes they drive so fast that it feels like an accident is waiting to happen,” Ghulam Nabi Dar, a shopkeeper near Shalteng, told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
He said that the Traffic police stand nearby, but either they turn a blind eye or they just wave the vehicles away.
The situation is equally alarming near Fruit Mandi, where commuters from adjoining areas take the wrong side to save a few minutes. “I travel from Narbal to Bemina for work. At the Fruit Mandi point, vehicles violate the traffic rules. What shocks me is that people have normalized it. And when the traffic police are absent, the wrong-side movement gets worse,” said Shahid Hussain, a daily commuter.
The Bemina flyover stretch has also emerged as a danger zone. Wrong-side driving, combined with over-speeding, creates a deadly cocktail. Residents say that school children and office-goers feel especially vulnerable while walking or waiting for public transport in the area.
For pedestrians, the situation is more perilous than ever. “Crossing the bypass has become an ordeal. Vehicles come from both sides, and you don’t know which way to look. My son was almost hit by a two-wheeler that suddenly appeared from the wrong side near Bemina fruit Mandi,” shared Rukhsana Begum, a mother of two.
Locals argue that while infrastructure like flyovers and widened roads was meant to ease traffic, weak enforcement has rendered these measures ineffective. “Rules are good only on paper if no one enforces them. Wrong-side driving not only puts violators at risk but also endangers innocent people,” said Manzoor Ahmad, a transporter.
When contacted, a senior traffic police official admitted the problem but said limited manpower remains a challenge. “We are aware of the issue on the Shalteng–Bemina corridor. Our men do conduct regular checks, and challans are issued. However, with thousands of vehicles plying daily, it is not always possible to station personnel everywhere,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
He, however, stressed that wrong-side driving will not be tolerated. “We appeal to commuters to follow traffic rules. Wrong-side movement is dangerous and life-threatening. We are working on stricter enforcement and may deploy more men at the identified points.”
Adding to the chaos, over-speeding remains another grave concern. On relatively open stretches of the bypass, many motorists accelerate recklessly, ignoring speed limits and traffic discipline. Local drivers say that rash driving often coincides with wrong-side movement, leading to near-miss collisions.
“Last week, I witnessed two cars racing on the bypass. One of them took the wrong side near Shalteng and narrowly missed hitting a truck. If such practices continue unchecked, a major tragedy is inevitable,” said Abdul Majid, a cab driver.
With repeated accidents and close shaves, public anger is mounting against the traffic police. People have urged authorities to adopt zero tolerance against violators. “It is shocking that people are allowed to risk lives every day on such a busy stretch. Authorities must install cameras, increase penalties, and ensure round-the-clock monitoring,” said Sajjad Ahmad, a youth activist from Bemina.(KINS)
