Aadil Nazir
BARAMULLA, April 20: Normal life was partially affected in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Monday as private transport operators joined a valley-wide strike against the proposed expansion of Smart City bus services to district routes, with protesters blocking the main town square for several hours.
Private bus, Sumo, and Tavera drivers stayed off the roads in key towns including Baramulla, Sopore, and Pattan, while a sit-in was held near the old bus stand in Baramulla town, close to the district’s main commercial hub.
“We are not against development, but this expansion will finish us. There are over 3,000 private vehicles registered in Baramulla district alone. Each vehicle feeds a family,” said Mohammad Shafi Lone, president of the Baramulla Private Transport Union.
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Another operator, Ghulam Hassan Rather, who plies a Sumo between Baramulla and Kupwara, said: “The government is not listening. We have taken loans to buy these vehicles. If Smart City buses start on our routes, no one will hire us.”
The proposed expansion seeks to connect district headquarters with adjoining tehsils under the Smart City project, which currently operates mainly within Srinagar city limits.
While public transport remained off the roads in Baramulla, private cars, auto-rickshaws, and two-wheelers plied as usual. Shops in the town’s main market remained open, though footfall was noticeably lower.
Transporters have demanded an immediate rollback of the decision, warning of an indefinite strike if the government proceeds with the expansion.
