“Relief and rescue operations did not begin immediately after the accident but commenced hours after the reports about the deaths went viral on social media sites.”
The tragic road accidents along Jammu-Srinagar highway head to no dead end as yet again 10 travelers died last Friday on the Ramban-Banihal track known for its vulnerability to fatal road accidents on the only surface link connecting Kashmir with rest of the country. The accident is yet another grim reminder to both the Government as well as the travelers that advance bad weather signals issued by the metrological department from time to time necessitate the precautions both the travelers and as well as the traffic police has to take for the hassle free movement of both the passenger and as well as commercial vehicles. While the fact remains that incomplete Ramban-Banihal track is still the accident prone area even after the completion of the most of the parts of four lane Jammu-Srinagar highway, it is for the travelers to strictly follow the advisories of traffic police department and the traffic police department on it’s part also has to ensure strict enforcement of its advisories in bad weather times for the safety of travelers on accident prone Ramban-Banihal track of the highway. Unfortunately the relief and rescue operations did not begin immediately after the accident but commenced hours after the reports about the deaths went viral on social media sites. Since the accident on Jammu Srinagar highway is not the first of its kind witnessed after the completion of the most parts of the four lane Jammu-Srinagar highway last year but is one of the tragic road accidents witnessed on Ramban-Banihal track in mid winter periods this year. Not only the weather but slippery condition of the highway and high speed driving can also be the causes of such tragic road accidents on accident prone Ramban-Banihal track. While the road and weather conditions necessitate prompt traffic alerts from the traffic police department, the laxity shown by the traffic police department in issuing traffic alerts for the travelers in bad weather conditions demands an in-depth investigation for the purposes of corrective measures to stop occurrence and re-occurrence of such tragic accidents.
“Since the completion of the four lane Jammu-Srinagar highway could be the long lasting respite to the travelers, not only the review of the traffic regulation system on the highway but the review of the ongoing incomplete works on Jammu-Srinagar highway as well deserves and demands the attention and intervention of Central Government’s Ministry Of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) at the highest level”
Though cash relief for the victims from the Prime Minister’s though shows the deeper concern the highest office of the country for the lives that are lost on the accident prone Jammu-Srinagar highway but what matters is the increased focus on traffic regulation and early completion of the accident prone incomplete Ramban-Banihal track of the highway connecting Kashmir Valley with Jammu and rest of the country. Since the completion of the four lane Jammu-Srinagar highway could be the long lasting respite to the travelers, not only the review of the traffic regulation system on the highway but the review of the ongoing incomplete works on Jammu-Srinagar highway as well deserves and demands the attention and intervention of Central Government’s Ministry Of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) at the highest level.
