In the heart of Kashmir’s mesmerizing landscape lies a city caught in a daily grind that is neither scenic nor serene. Srinagar, once celebrated for its tranquil lakes, Mughal gardens, mountains, and cultural richness, is now increasingly known for something far less poetic i.e. the extra mile every commuter is forced to travel. This “extra mile” isn’t a metaphor for going above and beyond. It is a burden, a symbol of a broken urban transportation system that fails to serve its people efficiently, fairly, or sustainably. This is not just a daily inconvenience but a persistent silent crisis that affects productivity, mental well-being, economic losses, environmental health, and the very identity of Srinagar.
It is in this context people from all walks need to come together and contribute in shaping the ailing transportation system and get it out of the tag of “City of the Extra Mile.” The goal is not only to raise awareness but to demand focused, urgent reforms in urban traffic management and transport planning in the city. Every day, thousands of commuters across Srinagar experience commute of an “extra mile”, whether they navigate core or the outer parts of the city. Whether the people traverse the intersection at Hyderpora, braving bottlenecks at Jahangir Chowk, Batamaloo, Tengpora, Rambagh, Dalgate, Sanatnagar, and other parts of the city are being rerouted through narrow alleys, fair weather roads and roads passing through the residential areas. The cost is more than a few minutes of delay. It is time lost with family, business deals missed, patients delayed from reaching hospitals, and students late for exams. These small, daily frustrations accumulate into a much larger systemic failure.
What makes Srinagar’s traffic situation so dire is not just the number of vehicles or the city's growing population. These are realities shared by all growing urban centers. The problem in Srinagar is the absence of coordinated, evidence-based traffic management and planning. Traffic signals are often non-functional or manually overridden. Intersections are unscientifically designed. Smart City projects are launched without synchronization, leading to simultaneous digging, construction, and diversions that worsen the gridlock instead of easing it. Moreover, there is little to no communication with the public about these changes with no clear timelines, no warnings, and no alternative solutions.
One might argue that this is part of any city’s evolution. But evolution implies improvement. What Srinagar faces today is not growing pains; it is growing paralysis. Without immediate and decisive intervention, the situation threatens to spiral into an urban disaster that could undermine the city's livability, economy, and reputation.
The name “City of the Extra Mile” encapsulates this grim reality perfectly. It turns irony into advocacy. For in Srinagar, the extra mile is not a journey of excellence, but a detour of inefficiency. It is the mile that could have been avoided and the mile that costs fuel, time, patience, and public trust. It is the symbol of a system that forces people to adapt to dysfunction rather than enjoy the benefits of thoughtful governance.
Therefore, there is need to seeks to bring together citizens, urban planners, transport engineers, policymakers, and civil society to address this issue head-on. Reflect demands clearly, evidence-based, and achievable. Everyone aspires, Srinagar deserves a better urban future, and the transformation must begin with mobility which would require to take a series of measures to bring efficiency in the Srinagar’s transportation system. This moniker, initially perhaps an ironic nod to the city’s scenic beauty, now grimly captures the daily reality faced by its residents. Every commuter, whether traveling within the city or venturing to its outskirts, is compelled to traverse additional, often unnecessary, distances. These extra miles are not symbolic of perseverance but are emblematic of systemic failure—an inefficient traffic infrastructure, poor planning, and neglect that have turned mobility into a burdensome ordeal. The consequences extend beyond inconvenience; they threaten the city’s productivity, mental health, environmental sustainability, and the very identity of Srinagar as a thriving urban space.
Srinagar’s population has witnessed steady growth, accompanying a rise in vehicle ownership that has outpaced the city’s infrastructural capacity. The increase in private cars, motorcycles, auto-rickshaws, and commercial vehicles has intensified congestion, especially during peak hours. Roads that once served simple transit needs are now overwhelmed, leading to frequent traffic jams, delays, and frustration

Key Issues & Actions Needed

At the root of many traffic jams in Srinagar is the flawed design of intersections. Many major junctions such as those at Pantha Chowk, Rambagh,Natipora,Batamaloo, and Nowgam lack proper road geometrics, roundabouts, signal synchronization, or grade separation. As such a comprehensive audit of the city’s intersections is required to reac the root of the problem. Their redesign must follow global best practices, prioritizing safety, flow efficiency, and pedestrian access to avoid frequent jamming and mobility woes.
Functional Traffic Signaling and ITS Integration through efficient smart traffic lights which are either non-operational or misused. Many are switched off during peak hours, leading to chaotic manual interventions by undertrained personnel. We demand that Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS), including adaptive traffic signals and real-time monitoring, be implemented across key corridors. Traffic signals must be maintained regularly, calibrated based on real-time flow data, and managed by a central control system.
Staggered project implementation and public coordination as much of Srinagar’s current distress is due to overlapping infrastructure projects like flyover construction, Smart City retrofits, sewerage work, and footpath upgrades happening simultaneously without spatial or temporal coordination. There is an urgent need that future infrastructure works be phased intelligently and that detailed project schedules be published publicly. The administration must establish a communication cell to keep citizens informed and provide alternate route suggestions.
Strengthening public transport options because reliance on private vehicles is partly due to the inefficiency and inaccessibility of public transport. The existing fleet of minibuses (matadors) and sumo’s is outdated, unreliable, and unregulated. Exceedingly very dependence on personalized modes of transport is aggravating traffic problems.There is a dire need for a modern, clean, and safe bus fleet, integrated through a common ticketing system and supported by digital route tracking apps. The revival of inland water transport through Dal and Jhelum must also be prioritized.
Enforcing parking regulations and creating structured paces as roads in Srinagar are often narrowed not by design but by unregulated parking. Double parking in commercial zones like Residency Road, Karan Nagar, and Batamaloo clogs traffic flow. Strict enforcement of no-parking zones, heavy fines for violators, and the immediate construction of multi-level parking facilities at high-density commercial hubs. In addition, city planning and development policies need to be rethought and reimagined from overconcentration of activities to decentralization to reduce the pressure on the core city of Srinagar.
Much has been talked about pedestrian first, safe walkability and cycle-friendly zones every now and then in Srinagar however these goal have remain a far cry which makes it must to embrace a pedestrian-first policy. Footpaths must be widened, encroachments removed, and crossings made safe through zebra markings and pedestrian signals. Cycle-friendly zones should be introduced in areas such as the Boulevard Road, Rajbagh, and Hazratbal to promote safe and sustainable mobility through reducing of vehicular pressure.
Citizen feedback and participatory governance is key to achieve this. No traffic policy can succeed without input from the people it affects. It needs a digital and physical grievance redressal system where commuters can report traffic issues, suggest improvements, and receive updates. Local area traffic committees with representation from residents, shopkeepers, students, and daily commuters should be formed for continuous monitoring and coordination.

Resolve and Reforms

The efforts made in this paper does not seek to criticize for the sake of criticism. It seeks to push the administration, city government, traffic management bodies, planning and development agencies, and civil society toward collective accountability and reform. Srinagar’s problems are not insurmountable, but they require political will, professional expertise, and public participation to turn the thing around.Cities across the world from Bogotá to Barcelona have shown that transformative traffic reforms are possible even under financial constraints. What they had was vision, planning, and above all, respect for the citizen’s right to move freely and efficiently. Srinagar deserves no less.
It is time to reimagine Srinagar not just as a tourist destination or a historical jewel, but as a living, breathing, and moving city. A city where a child can reach school on time without chaos. Where a patient can arrive at the hospital without anxiety. Where an entrepreneur can attend three meetings across the city without losing half a day in gridlock. A city that no longer wears the "extra mile" as a burden, but replaces it with a slogan of progress: “Every mile matters. Every citizen counts.”
Let this be the first step in that transformation. Let efforts be made which turn frustration into policy, chaos into clarity, and resignation into resolve. Srinagar at present is the “City of the Extra Mile” has become harsh reality but it doesn’t deserve to be so.Srinagar’s current transportation crisis is a stark reminder that even the most beautiful cities can falter without effective governance and planning. The “City of the Extra Mile” does not have to remain a symbol of systemic failure. With decisive action, strategic reforms, and inclusive governance, Srinagar can reclaim its mobility, restore public trust, and set a precedent for sustainable urban development. The journey toward a better Srinagar starts now. Every effort, every reform, and every citizen’s voice counts in transforming the city from a place of congestion into a model of efficiency and livability. Let this be the first step in a future where no journey is an extra mile, but a step forward.

Email:-------------------------- hamwani24@gmail.com