Assar Doda Mishap: Precious lives lost!

Mohammed Irfan

The horrible bus accident at Assar, Doda district, has brought again the issue into limelight. It is in regard to the accidents that have claimed lives in the hilly areas of Pir Panchal and the Chenab valley. These accidents are a recurring occurrence and we keep losing lives.

The ill fated bus as per reports in the media was overloaded, and the preliminary investigation reveals that due to rash driving the bus fell into a deep gorge, claiming about forty lives in just a matter of minutes. One of the media persons said that the carrying capacity of the bus was just forty passengers but it was carrying more than its capacity.  There were 56 person on board this bus.

As it remains a practise that whenever accidents happen administration swings into action and orders probe into the cause of the accidents. But is that going to solve the problem in future. Actually the administration needs to think about preventing such accidents in future.

Chenab valley due to its tough terrain requires better roads and better road connectivity so that such type of accidents are minimised.

It is pertinent to mention here that a PIL has also been filed in the High Court, regarding the unprecedented rise in the number of accidents in Jammu province. The Court has already issued a slew of directions to the administration to take measures to keep a check on the accidents. Even in the pursuance of HC order the concerned authorities field a detailed affidavits stating there in the manpower dearth on the hilly areas. Traffic department expressed their inability to deploy its personnel along the entire length of the roads.

Now, the moot question is that what measures the concerned authorities should take in order to curb such accidents in this hilly belt? The concerned authorities must comply with the HC directives, and ensure that there is total compliance of the  Motor Vehicle Act.

A road audit should be done to find our whether crash barriers, parapets and dividers have been installed on the road. Whether traffic personnel manning the different routes on the Doda district are performing the duties? How much the absence of traffic personnel on Assar road contributed to the accident? If the bus was overloaded, how come the same plied on the road?How come the Traffic department permitted it to ply on the road? Why didn't this bus come under the scanner of the traffic department before the accident? Was the bus fit enough to be used, in the first place? Whether bus was having the permit or not to ply on the road? Whether rash driving alone was the reason behind the accident or there were some other factors that need to brought to surface? All these questions need quick answers.

We pray to Almighty for the soul of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident, and also our prayers for the families of these departed soul.

Mohammed Irfan, Social Activist, is Advocate by profession