Srinagar, July 01: In a first for a tourist destination in Kashmir, the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) has introduced an odd-even vehicle entry system on a trial basis to regulate traffic and safeguard the fragile ecology of the famous hill resort.
According to an order issued by the GDA, the new traffic regulation will come into effect from July 5 and remain in force until August 5 as part of a one-month pilot project.
Under the scheme, private and commercial four-wheelers with registration numbers ending in odd digits (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9) will be allowed to enter Gulmarg only on odd dates. Similarly, vehicles with registration numbers ending in even digits (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8) will be permitted entry only on even dates.
The restrictions will be enforced daily from 8 am to 8 pm.
However, transport and freight vehicles have been exempted from the odd-even regulation.
Chief Executive Officer of the Gulmarg Development Authority, Tariq Hussain, said the initiative aims to assess its effectiveness in managing traffic and reducing environmental stress on the popular tourist destination, reported NDTV.
“The pilot project will be implemented for one month, during which its impact on traffic management, environmental quality and visitor convenience will be evaluated in coordination with the Police, Traffic Administration and other concerned departments,” he said.
The GDA said the measure may be reviewed, modified, extended or withdrawn based on the findings of the pilot project and recommendations of the departments involved.
Gulmarg, one of Kashmir’s most visited tourist destinations, witnesses a sharp increase in vehicular traffic during the peak tourism season. Officials said the resulting congestion has led to deteriorating air quality, rising noise pollution and increasing pressure on the area’s fragile alpine ecosystem.
The authority said the odd-even system is aimed at improving traffic flow, enhancing the visitor experience and helping preserve the ecological balance of the high-altitude resort.
