BY MOHD MAJID MALIK ,DODA,APR06—-The 300 Kilometer long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and another road stretch of same length connecting Jammu with district Doda has taken many precious lives which otherwise could have been saved had the authorities come out of slumber well in time and taken the requisite corrective measures. Slackness on the part of authorities concerned once again took the precious lives of two minors among eight persons and left about 40 others injured in two tragic road accidents on same roads this Saturday.
Five persons were killed and over 40 injured when the bus, they were traveling in, rolled down into 300 feet deep gorge near Nashri in Chanderkote while two minor children and their mother got killed when a Maruti van they were traveling in, rolled down into river Chenab near Koda Pani, Doda on the same day. Negligence of driver is stated to be the cause of Chanderkote accident while human error resulted in loss of life of three persons of a family in Koda Pani. Just a day earlier a vehicle had met with an accident near Kathua in which a family which was returning from cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi perished. In first case lives of people could have been saved had the authorities not allowed the driver to drive on highway during night hours.
In second case had there been parapets the ill fated van would not have roiled down into the gorge despite any malfunctioning caused by the children and since Kathua highway is being made four-lane without any visible construction signs such accidents have become a routine feature. The four-lane construction of this highway has cost people dearer who have lost their dear ones just because construction signs were never properly used. The worst is the condition of hilly roads which lack all sort of safety measures including parapets and even highway patrol. Places where highway patrol is available, the members of these patrolling squads never bother to check the overloading or driving licenses to avoid fatal accidents.
The killer roads of Doda have taken a heavy toll of its residents. The rising frequency of accidents sometimes puts a question mark on other development works saying that did government ever prioritize the works. Is safety of passengers on highways is of utmost importance or the recreational parks and guest houses? There is definitely a need of developing all the hilly districts in terms of tourism as well as other facilities for the local population but government must prioritize works and ensure safety of passengers on highways first so that precious human lives are saved. Not even a single authority has ever dared to investigate the exact cause of accident or tried to eliminate the causes so that accidents of similar nature do not occur again. The traffic authorities also satisfy their appetite for educating people by organizing traffic safety week once in a year. The minibuses which have been modified to accommodate more passengers are never subjected to check due to which passenger vehicles remain overcrowded all the time thereby increasing chances of diverting the attention of driver that causes accidents. Having said one really appreciates the promptness of air force authorities in launching their rescue operation which definitely saved many precious human lives in this Chanderkote accident.
There is a dire need for the government to wake up and initiate some serious action so that people get rid of such fatal road accidents which are proving to be a curse.It is notable to mention here that Jammu and Kashmir roads have turned out deadlier than the two decade long terrorism unleashed from across the border in the State. Since no authentic figures are available about the number of lives perished on the killer roads, one is reminded of the concern expressed by the State Governor about five years ago when he observed that accidents have perhaps taken higher toll than terrorism.
These were not off the cuff remarks but reflected the concern about the vulnerability of road users.What can be the height of callousness of those supposed to regulate the traffic and book the erring operators, who just prefer to look the other side whenever any major accident takes place, rather than finding out the causes and fixing the responsibility?Most of the accidents have occurred due to over-loading and over speeding, notwithstanding the fact that the ill-fated passenger carriers pass many police Nakas, traffic posts besides being monitored by mobile teams of men in blues- for what they alone know.
We have heard of people getting killed but not any action being taken against the offenders. Such is the callousness of the administration that it does not only refuse to respond but shows scant regard to public sensitiveness on this grave issueAccording to official data, 193 accidents occurred in the two districts of Doda/ Kishtwar district in the year 2007, which killed 41 people. Ramban reported 333 accidents in the same year, killing 69 people while two drowned. As for the year 2008, 141 road mishaps took place in Doda, killing 60 people while two others drowned. In Kishtwar, 71 people were killed while four drowned in 40 road accidents in 2008. In Ramban 348, accidents occurred which killed 101 people and two persons drowned in the year 2008.
People the three districts in the mountainous hill region have for long been accusing the administration of apathy towards the poor roads and lack of traffic management being considered among the major causes for frequent accidents and avoidable loss of life. On its part, the government too has not shown a purposeful concern over the ever increasing tragedies by initiating concrete measures to stem the rot.The disturbing figures of the people killed in the recurrent road mishaps in the hilly districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban over the past two years have belied the claims of effective traffic management and better roads.
At least 480 people were killed and more than 1200 injured in over 1000 road accidents in the three districts since 2007. Since January this year, the number of people killed in Doda and Kishtwar alone crossed 100, indicating a sharp increase in fatalities.