“The vulnerability of the travelers to road accident deaths is very high on hilly roads due to lack of communication networks and many other infrastructural facilities for the safety of the travelers.”
Absolutely routine matter it is to hear about deaths in passenger vehicles due to overloading but overloading becoming cause of deaths of eight members of family in a recent road accident in Anantnag district is quite surprising. Wisdom does not demand that eight members of a family risk their lives by boarding a five seater Maruti car on a hilly road like Sinthan-Kokernag route known for its vulnerability to road accidents. This single accident is a wakeup call not only for travelers but also for the traffic police in the hilly areas of both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Since road safety is all about safety of travelers, the implementation of road safety measures matters the most on both hilly and as well as plain roads. The vulnerability of the travelers to road accident deaths is very high on hilly roads due to lack of communication networks and many other infrastructural facilities for the safety of the travelers. The Jammu & Kashmir Traffic Police Department as such owes explanations for allowing violations that risk the lives of travelers in both passenger and private vehicles on the hilly roads in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Generally explanations are sought from traffic officials for allowing overloading of passenger vehicles after public outrage against deaths of travelers in road accidents but never ever traffic officials are asked questions for allowing overloading in private vehicles that also becomes the cause of accidental deaths as was witnessed in the recent car accident on Sinthan-Kokernag road. In fact the high vulnerability of the travelers to accidental deaths on hilly roads necessitates intense curbs on overloading of both the passenger and as well as private vehicles by traffic police department both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division.
“In view of the occurrence and re-occurrence of tragic road accidents on hilly roads in Chenab Valley area of Jammu division week after week and month after month the vigil of the traffic police on overloading of both passenger and private vehicles on hilly roads needs to be intensified intensely in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Wisdoms demands that overloading is declared a punishable offence both for the passenger and as well as the private vehicles on both hilly and as well as plain roads for the purposes of reducing the life risks of travelers across Jammu & Kashmir.”
Since traffic cops are very rarely seen punishing passenger or private vehicle drivers for overloading on hilly roads, the tragic road accident deaths are reported from the hilly areas of both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division week after week and month after month. In view of the occurrence and re-occurrence of tragic road accidents on hilly roads in Chenab Valley area of Jammu division week after week and month after month the vigil of the traffic police on overloading of both passenger and private vehicles on hilly roads needs to be intensified intensely in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Wisdoms demands that overloading is declared a punishable offence both for the passenger and as well as the private vehicles on both hilly and as well as plain roads for the purposes of reducing the life risks of travelers across Jammu & Kashmir.
