SOPORE: The Fruit Mandi Sopore has suspended the entry of fresh produce-laden vehicles until Wednesday at 10 pm as the market has reached capacity amid mounting traffic congestion in the town.
President of Fruit Mandi Sopore Fayaz Ahmed Malik, popularly known as Kaka Ji, told the Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that fresh arrivals would be permitted only after the existing congestion is cleared.
He said the continued closure of the Sopore Bypass Bridge had aggravated traffic congestion, affecting the movement of vehicles, particularly those transporting horticultural produce.
The bypass bridge is expected to reopen on November 5. Its closure for repair work has diverted traffic through alternative routes in Sopore, adding to pressure on the town’s roads.
The bridge is a key link for vehicles travelling between Kupwara and Srinagar, allowing heavy traffic to bypass Sopore town.
The disruption has coincided with the ongoing apple marketing season, when the fruit mandi witnesses considerable movement of produce consignments. Its reopening is expected to ease traffic congestion and facilitate the transportation of fruit, providing relief to growers, traders and transporters.
