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| Ruthless killings on roads | | |
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently set a deadline of two weeks for the administration to suggest measures for bringing accidents to zero level. He was perhaps not aware of a far more major step proposed by his predecessor Ghulam Nabi Azad last year who also sought report from such a high level panel. Azad’s report is among many such reports of the past gathering dust in official files but the road journey continues to be a nightmare in hilly regions, particularly Doda belt and Udhampur district. Those who are not prepared to believe it may change their opinion once they are reminded that between January 17 and June 7 as many as 118 people were killed and over 70 were injured in eight major road accidents in the Doda district. Each accident is followed by assurances by the Government. We have one assurance that overloading will not be allowed. After another accident there is another promise that those buses which had outlived their utility will not be allowed to operate. But neither the overloading has been checked nor has the rickety and road unworthy buses impounded..There is a stretch of road from Doda to Kishtwar that calls for immediate widening and repair. Unfortunately the BRO has not been able to complete the road widening programme within the stipulated time. Reports said that the man and machine power is limited when the road widening programme requires sufficient funds,man and machine power. In the absence of funds and material, the agency connected with the road widening programme may not be able to complete the projects within weeks or months period. Fruther delay would mean more deaths and destruction. Security experts are of the view that the causalities in road accidents in Doda district have been much higher than the yearly death of civilians in the hands of militants. Till the road widening programme was completed the Government agencies, including the traffic police and the transport authorities need to take in hand measures that would ensure accident free mountain district of Doda.Well as far as the Jammu region is concerned its four major districts of Udhampur, Poonch, Doda and Rajouri are hilly. The Doda district is not only hilly but has very deep gorges, ravines and the fast flowing Chenab river. Whenever the drivers lose control of the steering or the buses they ply face some mechanical problem the buses usually fall down into the Chenab others skid into the deep ravines leaving no scope for survival. The state Government, with the aid from the centre, should prepare a master plan for the development and upgradation of the hilly roads that connect the winter capital with Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Doda districts. A master plan for improving the road connectivity in the hilly districts requires several hundred crores of rupees. It will be better if the state Government constitutes a team of experts who prepare the master plan so that the plan was submitted to the central govt. for approval and financial assistance. It is a human problem. If the road development progarmme was not taken in hands right in earnest it would, mean more human losses. the Government should order immediate checking of all those buses that ply on Jammu-Doda,Jammu-Poonch, Jammu-Rajouri and Jammu-Udhampur roads. Those buses found road unworthy be impounded. Concrete steps were called for checking road accidents and such tragedies cannot be averted by assurances.
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