No Road Ahead!
The recent rains and cloudbursts have cast a long shadow on the only road link that connects the valley with the rest of the country. Mughal Road, though now operational for many years is no where close to taking the vehicular load that the Srinagar-Jammu national highway takes. So for all practical purposes we still have only one road link that serves as the grand artery to allow the passenger and goods movement from and to the Kashmir valley.
The way this road has remained closed for such an extended period raises serious questions on the dependability of this road once again. This time around we have again been exposed to the vulnerability of the road, and as a consequence we have shortage of goods in our markets. This shortage of goods leads to a situation of crisis. It is not just a hike in prices, but the sudden disappearance of stuff from markets. The way long queues of cars are seen on petrol pumps indicates just that.
Here, we are faced with multiple challenges. One, the infrastructural projects on this road may have shortened the distance, but the vulnerability is least addressed. In fact, some would argue that the widening of road stretches on this highway and construction of tunnels might have added to this vulnerability. If that is found true, the concerned agencies need to be held accountable on this front.
Beyond that, the government would now require to assess the condition of this road afresh and take measures to eliminate factors of vulnerability one by one. It is a long term task, but a sense of urgency must creep in fast. The change in weather in the days ahead may again see traffic plying on this road normally but that should not result in any complacency. We may soon land into trouble as up ahead we have winters.
Going by the conditions of the road now, it is not a hard stuff to understand that the road would close frequently in winters. If some emergency measures are not taken, all the work done till now may go waste. After all such heavy infrastructural projects should bring ease of travel on this road not only in terms of shortening the distance but in terms of dependability as well.
