Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 15: A tragic road accident in Doda claimed five lives on Tuesday, underscoring the persistent danger on the region’s treacherous roads, while reports from expert panels formed to curb such incidents remain unimplemented. The Chenab Valley, encompassing Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts, continues to grapple with frequent accidents, with the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road emerging as a notorious death trap.
In response to the alarming rise in accidents, the Jammu and Kashmir government constituted two high-powered committees in 2023 to investigate the causes and recommend solutions. The first, formed in February 2023 under GAD order (GAD-ADMOIV/21/2023-09-GAD) by Commissioner-Secretary Sanjeev Verma, comprised a four-member panel chaired by the Chief Engineer (Secretary Technical, Public Works Department).
The panel, including the Secretary of the Road Safety Council, the Executive Director (P) NHIDCL, Jammu, and the Superintending Engineer PW(R&B) Circle Doda, was tasked with suggesting measures to make the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road accident-free. A second committee was formed in November 2023 to further address the issue, but their findings have yet to translate into action.
The February 2023 committee was established following a December 20, 2022, directive from the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. Justices Tashi Rabstan and Rajesh Sekhri ordered the UT administration to form an expert panel to probe the causes of recurring accidents in the Chenab Valley and propose preventive measures. The court also mandated the installation of rolling barriers and steel pillars on curved roads and culverts, alongside submitting an Action Taken Report (ATR). The directive was prompted by a letter from social activist Asif Iqbal Butt on December 17, 2022, urging the Chief Justice to take suo-moto cognizance of the rising accidents.
Butt’s letter highlighted the narrow roads, blind curves, and lack of robust infrastructure in the region, emphasizing the need for rolling barriers, stricter traffic rule enforcement, and comprehensive road safety measures. Despite these efforts, the recommendations of both committees remain largely ignored, leaving the region’s roads as perilous as ever.
According to the Union Ministry of Road, Transport, and Highways, Jammu and Kashmir ranks second in India for road accidents per 10,000 vehicles, with over 900 fatalities annually in the last five years. The Chenab Valley, with its mountainous terrain and inadequate infrastructure, accounts for a significant portion of these deaths. Local residents and activists continue to demand urgent action, pointing to the government’s failure to implement critical safety measures.
As accidents persist unabated, the administration faces growing pressure to act on the expert panels’ recommendations and honor the High Court’s directives to prevent further loss of life in the Chenab Valley. |
