Srinagar, March 25 : The authorities have started night bus services on several routes including on Boulevard-DalGate-Lal Chowk and Qamarwari-Chadura Srinagar to ensure hassle-free and reliable movement to the general public and tourists alike, especially during evening hours.
Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir, Syed Shahnawaz Bukhari told GNS that the move aims to provide a reliable transport system in the evening hours to the people intending to move in and around Lalchowk, Dalgate and Boulevard roads and Qamarwari-Chadura Srinagar.
Bukhari said that night bus service is not a new phenomenon but a special design has been taken into due consideration after special directions from Divisional Commissioner Kashmir – to provide the service in areas which were neglected previously.
A bus service in the evening is available through the Mill Stop from Lal Chowk to Soura Srinagar. “During my visit to Qamarwari, I found there also was no significant service available to the public between the said area and Chadura”, he said.
The Dalgate-Boulevard and Lal Chowk road are being modified to beautify the area, Bukhari said adding due to the ongoing work, the areas would wear a gloomy look due to less movement and closure of shops. “As the buses would go off from the roads, no shopkeeper would have the confidence to operate and open a shop during the night time and not even the locals would be having confidence to go to Lal Chowk during night hours”, Bukhari said.
To assure the people that they can travel during the night time, the night bus services have been as such started in Srinagar. “With Lal Chowk the heart of the City and being flanked by Boulevard, we expect a rush of tourists there and this initiative (night bus services) will have a great role to play in coming days.
There are many locals and visitors who crave to watch the laser show and enjoy boat-ride in Dal lake, but bereft of any personal transport and scarcity of public transport on roads would force them to give up their plans, however now with the beginning of night bus service we expect that there would be many people who would use the service to visit such places as per their convenience.
