Pulwama, Jun 11: The mushrooming of illegal sumo-taxi stands in different parts of south Kashmir’s Pulwama town is triggering routine traffic jams here.
Local residents informed that a number of illegal sumo-taxi stands have sprung up in Pulwama town. They said that around 50 vehicles running on Pulwama-Rahmoo Pulwama- Gusoo and Pulwama-Wahibugh routes are being parked on roadsides in Dalipora area of Murran Chowk.
“The concerned authorities are well aware about the mushrooming of sumo-taxi stands on roadsides in Pulwama town but they turn blind eye to the issue because they receive a daily commission from the taxi drivers,” they alleged adding, “the men of Municipal Committee Pulwama keep patrolling through the area in a recovery van but fail to take any action against the erring drivers.
Similarly, another unregistered sumo-taxi stand has been established on Pulwama-Srinagar road near Murran Chowk which stations almost 50 vehicles. The residents and commuters alleged that the stand is the root cause of traffic jam on half a kilometer stretch from Murran Chowk to Mian Chowk Pulwama.
One more roadside sumo-taxi stand has sprung up on the Pulwama-Awantipora road near Public Park Pulwama.
When Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Pulwama, Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, was informed about the issue of unregistered sumo-taxi stands, he said that they are already in process of shifting all the stands to Drussu area of Pulwama.
