Shopian, Oct 14: A narrow road connecting Turkewangam in Shopian with the Industrial Growth Centre at Lassipora, one of Kashmir’s largest industrial estates, has become a major source of traffic congestion, particularly during the apple harvesting season when hundreds of fruit-laden trucks use the route.
Residents said the road, which serves as a crucial link to the industrial area in south Kashmir, has not been widened since it was constructed decades ago. The growing movement of heavy vehicles, including multi-axle fruit trucks, has increased concerns over traffic jams and the risk of accidents.
The problem becomes particularly acute during the apple harvesting season, when trucks transporting apples from orchards to markets and other destinations crowd the road. The narrow stretch often struggles to accommodate vehicles travelling in opposite directions, resulting in traffic congestion and delays for commuters and transporters.
“The road is so narrow that one vehicle has to stop to allow another coming from the opposite direction to pass,” said Mohammad Zaid, a local resident.
He said widening the road had been a long-pending demand of people living in the area, who also depend on it for their daily commute.
Residents said the road’s importance had grown with the expansion of industrial activity at Lassipora, where the movement of commercial vehicles adds to the regular traffic.
They said the narrow carriageway was particularly difficult to navigate when heavily loaded fruit trucks passed through the area, leaving little room for other vehicles. The situation, they added, raised concerns about road safety, especially during periods of heavy traffic.
Several residents said the government had assured them on multiple occasions that the road would be widened, but the work had yet to materialise.
They said the continued delay had left commuters and transporters struggling with a road that they believe no longer meets the area’s growing transport requirements.
The movement of 14-tyre fruit trucks along the stretch has added to their concerns, with residents fearing that the combination of heavy vehicles, limited road width and traffic congestion could increase the risk of accidents.
Residents have called on the authorities to take up the widening of the road, saying improved connectivity is essential for both the local population and businesses operating in the industrial estate.
They said widening the road would help ease congestion during the peak apple season, improve the movement of goods and provide safer passage for vehicles travelling to and from the industrial area.
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