National Highway, Chenab Valley account for bulk of J&K’s road fatalities

Srinagar, Mar 21: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a horrifying toll of 4251 road accident fatalities over the past five years, with the National Highway and the Chenab Valley region emerging as particularly treacherous zones, according to data released by the Traffic Department.

On average, two individuals have lost their lives daily due to road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019, a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved road safety measures.

The National Highway, a crucial transportation artery, has emerged as a major hotspot for road accidents, accounting for a staggering number of fatalities over the past five years.

In 2019, 211 lives were lost on this vital roadway, followed by 178 deaths in 2020, 271 in 2021, 261 in 2022, and a further 234 fatalities in 2023.

The Chenab Valley region, known for its treacherous terrain and winding roads, has also proven deadly for motorists and pedestrians alike.

In 2019, the area witnessed 113 road accident deaths, followed by 64 in 2020, 91 in 2021, 81 in 2022, and a spike of 114 fatalities in 2023. The data highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions and infrastructure improvements along these high-risk routes to prevent further loss of life.

While entire J&K has grappled with the issue of road safety, the National Highway and Chenab Valley have borne a disproportionate burden of the tragic toll.

The grim trend of road accidents in J&K continues to persist in the current year as well.

According to the data shared by the Traffic Department, up until January, 55 persons died in 398 accidents across J&K, with the number of injured standing at 486.

The Kashmir division witnessed 284 accidents resulting in 17 fatalities, while the Jammu division reported 114 accidents claiming 38 lives.

In 2023 alone, 893 individuals lost their lives in road accidents across J&K, with 6298 accidents reported and 8469 people sustaining injuries.

The previous year, 2022, saw 805 fatalities in 6092 accidents, with 8372 individuals injured.

In 2021, 774 people died in 4860 accidents with 5894 individuals suffering injuries.

The COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020 witnessed 728 road accident fatalities in 4860 accidents, with 5894 people injured.

Even in 2019, before the pandemic, a staggering 996 lives were lost in 5796 accidents with 7532 individuals sustaining injuries.

These grim details of accident fatalities across J&K, with a particular focus on the National Highway and the Chenab Valley, have been shared by the Traffic Department in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by M M Shuja.