Avinash Azad
Amid growing public outrage over perennial traffic chaos outside Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura — Kashmir’s premier tertiary care hospital — the government has finally admitted in the Legislative Assembly that the problem is real and persistent, promising partial relief through a proposed footbridge project to be completed by next financial year.
The revelation came in response to a question raised by MLA Tanvir Sadiq during the ongoing winter session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly at Srinagar.
Sadiq had asked whether it was a fact that frequent traffic jams are witnessed at the main chowk outside SKIMS Soura due to the heavy inflow of vehicles from multiple directions — Buchpora, Soura, 90-feet Road and Nowshera — causing great inconvenience to patients and attendants visiting the hospital.
In its written reply, the government conceded the issue, stating, “Yes Sir, it is a fact that frequent traffic congestion is being experienced at main chowk outside SKIMS Soura.”
The government further informed the House that the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department has taken cognizance of the problem and sanctioned the construction of a footbridge in front of SKIMS Soura.
The project — aimed at easing pedestrian and vehicular congestion — will connect both sides of the busy road at an estimated cost of ₹219.99 lakh under subhead 3342 (Construction of Roads). An amount of ₹12.50 lakh has already been released to the Chief Engineer, Central Kashmir, the reply stated.
According to the government, the footbridge is expected to be completed by the next financial year, offering long-overdue relief to commuters and hospital-goers who face daily gridlock at one of Srinagar’s busiest intersections.
However, the reply has triggered a debate among residents and urban planners who argue that a footbridge alone may not be enough to address the chronic traffic mess around SKIMS — a zone that witnesses the convergence of ambulances, public transport, and thousands of visitors each day.
A senior official at SKIMS, speaking anonymously, said the congestion often delays emergency vehicles and puts patients’ lives at risk. “It’s not just a nuisance; it’s a matter of public safety. There needs to be a comprehensive traffic management plan, not just a cosmetic fix,” he said.
Public transport operators and local traders in Soura have also urged the administration to consider constructing an underpass or dedicated service road, arguing that “piecemeal projects won’t solve a structural problem.”
Meanwhile, MLA Tanvir Sadiq has called for time-bound execution of the project and demanded that the government explore long-term urban mobility solutions around critical public institutions like SKIMS.
“The people of Srinagar deserve better traffic management. Patients can’t afford to be stuck in jams outside hospitals. This issue needs more than token steps,” Sadiq said.
As the government’s own reply now admits the severity of the situation, the ball is in its court to ensure that promises of a footbridge don’t remain just another file-bound assurance — while traffic outside SKIMS continues to choke the lifeline of Kashmir’s healthcare hub.
