I am a social activist and I urged Hon’ble Chief Justice J&K highcourt to take suo-moto cognizance in the matter of increasing cases of road accidents in the hilly terrain of Chenab Valley.
The letter reads:
This court has always been the last refuge for every citizen of this country for the protection of his fundamental rights, and with this gleaming hope, I write this letter to Your Lordship to draw your kind attention to the resentment among the residents of Chenab Valley and its adjoining areas vis-à-vis the terrible condition of roads and the increasing casualties in road accidents. The frequent accidents taking place have taken a toll on hundreds of lives over the decades. Hardly a week passes without any tragic news of an accident taking place in the region, thus causing panic among the locals and increasing their reluctance to avail themselves of public transport. The recent skidding of a vehicle carrying senior officers of R&B in Doda district, the Tata Sumo accident in Rachal area of Marwah in Kishtwar district, and the accident at Prem Nagar area of Doda district have just added to the anxiety.
It is very unfortunate and disappointing that government agencies wake up to the situation only after major accidents, but even then nothing concrete is done to avoid the mishaps in the medium- to long-term. It seems that the lives of the people are among the least important priorities of the government. The government had formed a committee consisting of former legislative members to look into the aforesaid matter, yet its recommendations, like improving the condition of roads, banning the functioning of old vehicles, introducing SRTC buses, and installing roadside barriers, are far from being implemented. The road circuits in the three 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 traffic rules are a common feature on these roads.
Since the roads in the upper reaches are narrow and have a number of blind curves, the installation of “rolling barriers” is essential for alleviating the severity of accidents. The way our neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh has recently mandated the setting up of rolling barriers in its road projects, we, too, need their installation along similar lines. Setting a robust road infrastructure, implementing the recommendations for road safety, and ensuring strict compliance with traffic rules are the needs of the hour. A timely intervention by the Hon’ble High Court in this regard would help save many precious lives and prevent property damage.
Considering the gravity of the matter, I request my lordship to please take suo-moto cognizance in the matter of increasing cases of road accidents. in the hilly terrain of Chenab Valley, so that the government ensures compliance with traffic rules, implements the appropriate measures to reduce road accidents, and allocates appropriate funds and resources for preventive measures in our accident-prone region. This would provide a much-needed sigh of relief to the people, who are otherwise the victims of administrative neglect.
(Asif Iqbal Butt is a social activist from Doda district of Chenab region in Jammu and Kashmir.)
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