ROADS OF SORROW | Accidents claim dozens of lives, families devastated in Pir Panjal

Rajouri, Jan 18: The year 2023 witnessed several fatal road mishaps in Pir Panjal region’s twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri including on the Mughal Road, Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch NH 144-A with dozens of precious human lives lost and scores injured.

Despite all this, the government is yet to consider the demand for the establishment of an emergency trauma hospital or centre in the region besides coming up with a policy to ensure adequate road signs which play a role in the prevention of mishaps.

Pir Panjal region from Bhambla in Jammu to Chakan Da Bagh on the Line of Control in Poonch connects with Kashmir valley at Pir Ki Gali via Mughal Road.

The Pir Panjal region is a hilly region with most of the area considered tough due to harsh climatic conditions which further create hardships for ensuring proper road connectivity in the area, especially those located in remote pockets.

In the Pir Panjal region, road accidents have always been a cause of concern and the trend continued in the year 2023 with several road accidents claiming human lives and injuring several persons, leaving families devastated.

The accidents took place on various roads including the Jammu-Rajouri Poonch National Highway 144-A, Rajouri-Kotranka-Budhal Road, Thanamandi Road, Surankote Road, and the Mughal Road.

Four persons died while seven others were injured in an accident with a vehicle at Bhangai in Thanamandi on July 5, 2023.

Three members of a family including a senior officer died and one person got injured in a private car accident near Panar bridge on the Mughal Road on July 9, 2023.

Three persons lost their lives and 16 were injured in an accident at Pharwala Rajouri on November 6, 2023.

Two persons died and five were injured after a cab fell into a gorge on Thanamandi Shahdara road.

Officials said that several accidents occurred on the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway in which no loss of life was reported but several people were injured and that these accidents primarily involved two-wheelers and cars.

Besides, at least 15 lorry accidents took place in Rajouri and Poonch districts in the year 2023 including accidents at Gambhir, Mughlan, Rajouri at Kewal, Budhal in Rajouri, at Nagrota, Rajouri.

Deputy SP Traffic Rajouri-Poonch Range, Muhammad Nawaz told Greater Kashmir that introspection of causes of accidents should be a bigger priority than figures of road accident losses.

He said that road accidents in 2023 are almost equivalent to previous years but it has been seen that many accidents have taken place due to clear negligence of drivers which is a grave concern.

“In Rajouri and Poonch, tough roads on hills are always a reason for accidents but accidents due to negligence of drivers is the issue of most concern which can only be dealt with good driving sense and vigilant passengers,” Nawaz said.

Meanwhile, people expressed concern over the poor attention given by the government to their demands amid accidents.

"For a long time we have been calling for the establishment of a trauma centre to deal with emergent cases of road accidents but the demand has not been fulfilled,” said Muhammad Omar Malik of Rajouri.

He said that the government should prioritise demands that are associated with the lives of people.

Raj Kumar Sagar from Rajouri said road signs were unavailable on Rajouri and Poonch roads.

“Important road signs like turns, curves, slope, heights, shooting stones, slide prone areas, and roadside light reflectors are important to prevent accidents but most of the roads in Rajouri and Poonch are devoid of these signs,” Sagar said.