Srinagar: Chairman Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Front (JKPDF) and former Minster Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen on Tuesday expressed shock and grief over killing of 4 persons including 2 brothers of south Kashmir , in a tragic road accident at national highway near Sher Bibi Ramban this morning . He has held the NHA responsible for loss of precious human lives in day to day tragic road accidents on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway as it has miserably failed to complete upgradation of the the dilapidated highway within the stipulated time .
In a statement issued from party headquarters here, Hakeem while expressing grief over the killing of 4 person including 2 brothers in a tragic road accident near Sher Bibi along the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district today said that the government especially NHAI , was responsible for prolonged delays in completion of the 4- lanning project of the highway .
“The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the only road connecting Kashmir with rest of the world has become a death trap for commuters as scores of people lose their lives due to its dilapidated condition, Hakeem said adding that government has failed to complete 4-lanning of the highway in the stipulated time frame . He has demanded construction of alternate roads which could connect Kashmir with rest of the country. He said Center was doing only lip services about socio -economic prosperity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir adding that 17-years have passed since construction of tunnel on the Mughal Road was approved but the project is yet to see the ray of the light. He said there has been undue delay in construction of the tunnel at Mughal road , which would have enabled round-the-year connectivity , thereby providing a a dependable alternate highway between Srinagar and rest of the country . Similarly, work on four-laning of Srinagar-Jammu national highway, especially from Banihal to Ramban stretch ,has missed multiple deadlines ,Hakeem said added . Same is the case with railway line from Jammu to Kashmir ,which was sanctioned in 1995 but is still far from completion. He said the Jammu-Srinagar railway link was declared a “national project” in 2002 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government and August 15, 2007 was fixed deadline for its completion but ? He has also demanded construction of an all-weather road between Kashmir to Kishtwar to ensure inter regional socio- economic transformation of the people .
Meanwhile, PDF chairman has demanded adequate relief to the bereaved families and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
