KT NEWS SERVICE SRINAGAR, Nov 24 : In a reprieve to transporters, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has extended the deadline for replacing 15-year-old commercial vehicles in the state by six months.
The Court had earlier set the deadline of December 27 for implementation of its decision.
A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Bashir Ahmad Khan and Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, has asked the Transport Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Traffic to ensure that all transporters replace their 15 year or more old commercial vehicles within six months from yesterday (November 23).
The Bench said in case of failure to do so by the owners, their vehicles would be banned from plying on the roads and entering Srinagar and Jammu cities.
The authorities concerned should take all necessary steps to stop plying of all defaulting commercial vehicles, it directed.
However, the Court said all these commercial vehicles would not be exempted from pollution and fitness certificates as required for plying on the roads.
In its landmark decision on October 27 to improve the traffic system in Srinagar and Jammu cities, the Division Bench had asked the owners to replace their vehicles by two months from that day.
The Bench also set November 28 as the deadline for shifting of bus terminals out of the city limits.
The Court directed the Kashmir Motors Drivers Association (KMDA) to vacate the Badshah Chowk bus stand to Pantha Chowk and the Batmaloo General Bus terminal to Parimpora by November 28.
"If the transporters fail to comply with the Court directions, they will be forced to vacate," the Bench said.
However, it is learnt that the transporters had themselves volunteered to shift the bus terminals by November 28.
The Court had also issued a warning to senior civil and police officials of strict action if they fail to comply with its directions regarding restoration of order to chaotic traffic system in the summer capital of the state.
The court had taken strong notice of the non-compliance of the its directions by the senior civil and police officials on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an advocate last month, seeking order in the City's traffic system.
The Bench expressed dissatisfaction over the action taken so far by the Traffic Department and also gave strict warning to senior officials if they failed to implement its directions.
"In case they fail to do so, the Court will direct the state government to remove such careless officials," the Bench noted.
The Court had also directed to remove pressure or double, tone and shrill horns from all commercial vehicles.
However, the Bench now extended the order to police and all departmental vehicles as well.
These vehicles were found to violate the traffic norms and cause inconvenience to the people besides increase noise pollution.
The Court had earlier asked the Traffic Department to take all the required steps to stop entry of all trucks and medium load carriers into Srinagar and Jammu cities from 0800 hrs to 2000 hrs during winter and 0700 hrs to 2100 hrs during summer.
Immediately after the Court directions, the transporters went on a strike, leading to severe problems for thousands of commuters.
The transporters pleaded that they may be given at least five years to phase out their 15-year-old vehicles.
