Lack of dedicated parking spaces outside bakery shops has emerged as a major cause of traffic congestion in Srinagar and its adjoining areas like Natipora. The rush of shoppers looking to buy traditional bakery items ahead of the festival has led to haphazard parking and frequent traffic snarls, frustrating both commuters and local residents. Areas including Natipora, Rajbagh, Hazratbal, and Karan Nagar have witnessed severe bottlenecks over the past few days, particularly in front of popular bakery outlets. With customers parking vehicles on already narrow roads, traffic movement has slowed to a crawl during peak hours. “There is no place to park, and people end up stopping in the middle of the road just to quickly grab items. It’s chaos every evening,” said Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Natipora. Traffic officials acknowledged the issue and said that the department is trying to manage the situation with limited resources. “We’ve deployed personnel in some key areas, but the lack of designated parking is a structural problem. People are also not cooperating and continue to park illegally,” a senior official from the Traffic Department said. Shopkeepers, too, expressed concern. “Business is good during Eid, but the congestion discourages customers. Authorities should look into creating temporary parking zones or regulating traffic flow,” said a bakery owner in Karan Nagar. The traffic department has appealed to citizens to use public transport or park vehicles at a distance to avoid gridlock. Authorities have also called on bakery owners to coordinate with officials to ensure smoother access and crowd management in the run-up to the Eid festivities.