Srinagar, July 11: Massive traffic congestion at the busy Narbal Crossing on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway has become a daily ordeal for thousands of commuters, with motorists and local residents urging the authorities to take immediate corrective measures to ease the worsening situation.

The junction, which serves as a crucial gateway connecting Srinagar with north Kashmir and the Gulmarg tourist route, witnesses heavy traffic throughout the day. However, commuters say the absence of effective traffic regulation, increasing vehicular pressure and bottlenecks at the crossing have turned the area into a persistent congestion hotspot.
Long queues of private vehicles, public transport, commercial trucks and tourist cabs were seen stretching for several kilometres on Saturday, forcing commuters to remain stranded for hours. The gridlock also disrupted the movement of emergency vehicles, school buses and office-goers.
Local residents said the traffic chaos has become a routine affair, particularly during peak morning and evening hours.
"Crossing Narbal has become a daily challenge. What should take a few minutes often takes nearly an hour due to the severe traffic jam," said a commuter.
Another resident said the problem intensifies during weekends and the tourist season when traffic bound for Gulmarg adds to the already heavy vehicular load.
Motorists alleged that indiscriminate roadside parking, inadequate traffic management and increasing commercial activity around the junction are further aggravating congestion. They also pointed to the growing number of heavy vehicles using the route during peak hours as a major contributor to the problem.
Shopkeepers in the area said the prolonged traffic jams are affecting business activity, while pedestrians, particularly elderly citizens, women and schoolchildren, face difficulties crossing the busy intersection safely.
Commuters urged the Traffic Police and the district administration to deploy additional personnel during peak hours, streamline traffic movement, remove roadside encroachments and regulate the movement of heavy vehicles to ease congestion.
They also called for long-term infrastructure measures, including scientific traffic management, road widening at bottleneck points, improved lane discipline and installation of intelligent traffic signalling systems to address the recurring problem.
Residents expressed hope that the authorities would take immediate steps to ensure smooth traffic flow at Narbal Crossing, saying timely intervention would not only reduce travel time but also improve road safety for thousands of daily commuters.