Single solution for complex problem

There is an urgent need to streamline public transport in Jammu city and its outskirts. Evaluation of the existing routes to accommodate the increasing demands of the city commuters is needed. “There is a need to implement necessary updates including changes, modification in the existing routes besides the identification of new routes for uncovered areas. In this whole exercise, the future projections for intra-city shifting should be taken care of. The need for construction and maintenance of road and flyover infrastructure will be lesser as existing lanes will be enough to accommodate the traffic because the public transport will ply on the single-lane system on a two-way system at a universal speed with recommended stoppages and the commuters by personal conveyance switching over to public transport. As far as, authorities are concerned, in addition to monitoring construction and functioning of the organization, the public transport body, as the fares are fixed and regulated by them, the time table and frequency on different routes for different stops depending upon the distance and the number of passengers can also be framed, fixed and regulated by the authorities which will prove to be a single solution for this complex problem without making many investments for the creation of additional staff and infrastructure. This, however, can be done more effectively in coordination with the body registered with the authorities. When the public transport industry is organised, the Government can also earn revenue by levying tax on the income as the processes of maintenance and audit of accounts of the operators registered with the organization will come into force due to the introduction of the ticketing system. This will, however, lead to a little extra burden on the pocket of the commuter but it will be negligible as compared to the benefits. Due to the availability of cheaper, faster, and peaceful transport system, the migration from the outskirts villages to the city will be reduced to some extent thereby relieving the already overstrained infrastructure of the city. All this is not going to happen overnight, but if a little is tried a lot can be achieved for the common man of the society. J&K has the potential to play an important role of the service sector for growth, improve the quality of life and change of infrastructure. The sector covers a wide range of activities from the most sophisticated in the field of Information and communication technology to simple services pursued by the unorganized/informal sector workers, such as vegetable sellers, hawkers, rickshaw pullers, etc.