Tourist drivers accuse rural traffic of harassment, stage protest in Srinagar
Drivers ferrying tourists from one place to another in Kashmir Valley Thursday staged a protest accusing traffic cops in rural areas of harassment.
They sought remedial measures saying that tourists too face a lot of inconveniences when are they are being repeatedly stopped and harassed at every checkpoint in rural areas.
“The rural traffic cops stop our vehicles despite the fact we carry all the documents and pay road tax. This happens whether we ferry tourists to Pahalgam, Gulmarg or Sonmarg,” the protesting drivers who assembled at Press Enclave Srinagar told news agency Kashmir News Trust.
“We are made to stop at not less than 10 places while ferrying tourists to tourist spots by the traffic cops on the one or the other pretext. We face a lot of harassment and even tourists get surprised over the ‘corrupt behavior of the rural traffic cops,” the protesting drivers said while appreciating the role of SP Traffic Srinagar.
“You can check our documents. We have registration, insurance, and fitness certificates of vehicles, and still, we face harassment,” they said and sought the intervention of higher-ups in the traffic department. (KNT)
