The government, as per sources, while contemplating the idea, has found that at least 450 thousand new personal vehicles are purchased in Valley in six months period alone. 
What could send Kashmir’s car dealers into tizzy is the government proposal to restrict the sale of personal vehicles in Srinagar atleast for a year to tackle the growing traffic jam in Srinagar that has been giving tough time to people as well as the government. Sources within the government told Kashmir Leader that the authorities while discussing various proposals that could possibly obliterate the menace of the growing traffic chaos in Srinagar city this session, have floated the idea of restricting the sale of the new personal vehicles in Srinagar atleast for this year so that the new four wheelers could not add to what already is proving a herculean task for the state dispensation. Due to the inordinate delay in the completion of the Ram Bagh flyover with traffic diversion routes making people suffer at large, the government is seen being caught in a difficult situation.
In a bid to tame traffic in the summer capital, the idea of restriction the ban on new personal four wheelers has been floated and the same is being given a thorough deliberation. A senior official within the dispensation said while various new ideas like the odd even formula are coming to fore, but the proposal to minimise the sale of the new personal vehicles is being given a serious shot by the concerned authorities. “Though we haven’t reached to any conclusion but this idea is something that merits a discussion and if a consensus is evolved over it, there is no harm in applying such proposal on ground,” he said.
The government, as per sources, while contemplating the idea, has found that atleast 450 thousand new personal vehicles are purchased in Valley in six months period alone. “If we can restrict such a number from getting swelled up, it is going to be a big big respite or else, we would be caught is a most difficult mess this summer,” said a traffic official, adding tha t at present, in Srinagar alone, there are around 12 lac vehicles plying on roads. The reports are also coming to fore that the number of vehicles witnessed a swell from past nine years as in March 2006, the total number of vehicles were 5,23,543 while as on the ending August 2015, the number of vehicles got increased to 12,95,780 indicating a surge of 7,72,237 vehicles in just nine years.
“If every month there are personal vehicles in hundreds being purchased, it is natural that chaos on roads would become inevitable. Some practical solution has to be there and we need to give a thorough deliberation to any idea that can yield the results,” said a senior government official who is also part of the team that has been given the responsibility to provide people some respite from the traffic mania. Sources said that at first that government would not implement a blanket ban upon the sale and the purchase of new personal four wheelers but the buyer has to fulfil certain criteria.
The Proposal which would be implemented for six months time could however witnessed the roadblock from the financial institutes who get maximum chunk of income from vehicle loans. Also the government hasn’t yet initiated any parleys with the car dealers. It remains to be seen whether such a proposal would witness day’s light or would be kept in limbo with people suffering on roads.
