Persistent Safety Concerns Over Overloaded, Unregulated Vans in Srinagar Spark Outrage
Srinagar, March 26, 2025 : Mudasir Karim, Youth President of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC), has once again brought the simmering issue of school van safety in Srinagar to the forefront, leveraging the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to amplify his call for urgent action. Highlighting a recurring cycle of negligence and inaction, Karim’s latest statement underscores the dire risks faced by students due to overloaded and unregistered vans, urging authorities, schools, and parents to break the impasse.
In his impassioned post on X, Karim stated, “The situation with school vans in Srinagar has spiraled into a maddening, never-ending cycle of negligence and half-hearted fixes. Every March, as schools reopen, we see vans packed beyond capacity—some even running on LPG, many unregistered—endangering our children’s lives like ticking time bombs.” He pointed to the grim reality of 5-8 seater vans crammed with up to 14 students, calling it “not a transport solution, but a scandal.”
He said, “Parents are fed up, and they have every right to be. They’re not just paying for comfort—they’re pleading for their kids’ safety. Overloading isn’t an inconvenience; it’s a gamble with accidents and heat stroke in summer.” Karim criticized the lack of accountability, noting that while the SSP Traffic Srinagar occasionally cracks down, pressure from unions and apathy from some parents allow the chaos to persist. “The moment action is taken, unions cry unemployment, and violators play victim instead of owning up,” he added.
Karim’s remarks reflect a broader frustration with the lack of a permanent solution. He stated, “Jobs matter, and policing every van isn’t easy—but that’s no excuse for this to continue year after year. The traffic police promise stricter checks and talks, but where’s the one-time fix parents deserve?” He urged a systemic overhaul, calling on schools to stop dodging responsibility and operators to face real consequences. “This isn’t about occasional drives or fines; it’s about dismantling a system that treats kids like cargo,” he said.
He added, “Parents must demand better—not just when a video goes viral, but every day. Until then, this isn’t just a problem; it’s a betrayal of our most vulnerable.” Karim’s renewed push on X has reignited public discourse, with many echoing his call for decisive action to protect Srinagar’s schoolchildren from this perennial hazard.