Turning Chenab region's "killer roads" into "accident-free zones"; J&K HC steps in to save lives [details]

As the "killer" roads of the Chenab region of the Union Territory continue to claim the lives of innocent people, the Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has directed the government to constitute a committee of experts to ascertain reasons for repeated accidents in this hilly part.

A Division Bench of the High Court comprising acting Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Rajesh Sekhri has also directed the Government to file the Action Taken Report (ATR) by or before the next date of hearing.

While giving directions to constitute a committee to ascertain the reasons for repeated road accidents on Batote-Doda-Kishtwar Road, the DC directed that the panel of experts shall suggest measures that help to make this road accident-free.

A further direction was issued to the Commissioner Secretary of Roads and Buildings (R&B) and Chief Engineers of Project Beacon and Sampark to erect rolling barriers/steel pillars on curved roads, also wherever culverts are found through Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road.

"The respondents against whom the directions are being issued shall file the Action Taken Report by or before the next date of hearing", the DB said and directed the Registry to supply a complete paper of this petition as well as a copy of this order to the counsel for the respondents as also the Amicus.

Social activist writes to Chief Justice to highlight conditions of the roads

A social activist Asif Iqbal Butt of Kahara in Doda district has written a letter to the Chief Justice of J&K and Ladakh High Court requesting to take suo-moto cognizance of increasing road accidents in the hilly terrain of Chenab region.

It was brought to the notice of the Chief Justice that frequent accidents have snatched hundreds of lives over the decades and hardly a week passes without any tragic news of the accident, thus causing panic among the locals but the government agencies have failed to take any concrete measures to check the mishaps.

The letter was treated as Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and clubbed with earlier PIL.

In the letter written to the Chief Justice, it has been mentioned that road circuits in the districts of Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban are in dilapidated condition and need immediate attention. Huge piles of sand and gravel roadside, vehicles driven by unlicensed drivers, rash driving, drunk driving, and violations of the traffic rules are common features on these roads, read the letter.

Three persons of a family were feared dead after a car in which they were traveling skidded off the road and fell into the Chenab river in Doda district on Tuesday. The trio included a young couple and their minor daughter and the mishap occurred near a stone crusher in the Pul Doda area this morning. As per official sources, the ill-fated car bearing registration number JK06A 6311 plunged into river Chenab.

The victims have been identified as Manjeet Singh resident of Sengoi Bhaderwah, his wife Sonia Devi, and their 6-year-old daughter.

Three engineers of R&B Dept killed

Three engineers among four officials of the Roads and Building (R&B) Department were killed when their vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on November 14.

According to reports, the ill-fated vehicle carrying a team of senior officers of the R&B Department skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge on the bank of the river Chenab near Assar on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway.

The officers were going to a spot in connection with official work near Doda.

Reports said the vehicle rolled down 200 metres into the gorge, resulting in the death of Superintending Engineer Suresh Kumar, Executive Engineer Rafiq Shah, a resident of Poonch district, Assistant Executive Engineer Kamal Kishore Sharma of Udhampur, and driver Mohammed Hafeez of Doda.

Roads in the Chenab region turn into "death traps"

Accidents on the roads of the mountainous Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts of Jammu and Kashmir, known as the Chenab region, have become a routine affair. There is hardly any day when someone doesn't die or get hurt in some traffic accident in the region.

The roads in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the Chenab region have become death traps. According to the Union Ministry of Road, Transport, and Highways, Jammu and Kashmir rank second across India in the number of road accidents per 10,000 vehicles with an average of over 900 deaths every year in the last five years.