Kangan left behind: Locals demand Smart City, SRTC buses to ease daily struggles

Srinagar, May 04: Residents of Kangan area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district have urged the government to extend Smart City and State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) bus services to their area, highlighting growing transport challenges—particularly for working women.
Though Kangan falls within the Ganderbal district, it remains excluded from recent public transport upgrades under the Smart City initiative, leaving locals dependent on overcrowded shared cabs and unreliable private transport.
“This region is part of Ganderbal, yet it feels forgotten,” said Irfan Ahmad, a resident of Kangan. “Smart City buses are running in Srinagar and adjoining areas, but Kangan continues to be left out.”
Female government employees commuting from Srinagar echoed similar concerns. “We often get late to work simply because there’s no proper bus service,” said a woman posted at a government office in Kangan. “Extending Smart City or SRTC buses would not only ease our commute but also make travel safer and more affordable.”
The issue hits private sector workers even harder. “We earn barely Rs 7,000 a month,” said Mehnaz, an employee at a local clinic. “A large chunk of that goes into daily transport. We can’t afford to keep spending on expensive cabs.”
Residents also noted that while the government had announced free travel for women on SRTC and Smart City buses under the Union Territory’s first budget, the scheme has yet to benefit women in Kangan. Locals have appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene and ensure the inclusion of Kangan in the public transport network. “We are not asking for luxury, just basic accessibility and dignity in travel,” said another resident.
A group of women said that public transport is what are demanding. “Smart buses or SRTC buses is something government can ensure for us. We are facing immense hardships while travelling from one place to another. Reaching the district headquarter Ganderbal becomes very difficult for us in absence of proper bus service,” they said.