Massive gridlock in Dalgate on first day of Tulip Festival irks commuters

Srinagar: Notwithstanding the authorities’ “route plan” for the event issued two days ago, a massive traffic gridlock was witnessed in Dalgate area on the first day of the six-day ‘Tulip Festival’ much to the inconvenience of the commuters.

The J&K Traffic Police had on Thursday said the traffic was being regulated along the Boulevard given the imminent rush of visitors on the event saying the traffic coming from Dalgate/Gupkar crossing shall be diverted towards Hazratbal-Foreshore-Tulip Garden and their return journey shall be via Nehru Park and Dalgate.

But since Saturday morning, serpentine traffic gridlocks were witnessed all along the rod stretch hours ahead of the inauguration of the festival scheduled at 3 pm leaving the motorists both tourists and locals fuming.

Many tourists who were supposed to catch the flights back home at the Srinagar airport too were stuck in the jam with the fear of missing their flights.

“This mismanagement of traffic is causing huge problems. We have a flight to catch but we are stationary here for the last hour and a half,” Shakuntala Devi, a tourist stuck in the jam told Greater Kashmir.

With no end to the gridlock in sight, many airport bound tourists abandoned their cabs midway and began walking on foot along with their luggage in a bid to reach the airport on time.

Another tourist from Mumbai, who was accompanying his mother to a hospital in Srinagar, too was stuck in the traffic jam much to their inconvenience.

“The authorities should have made some pre-planned arrangements to cope up with this heavy volume of traffic,” he added.

Pertinently, the Tulip Festival, according to officials, will be hosting musical evenings and cultural shows.