At least 1009 people were killed and 7517 were injured in 5795 accidents in Jammu and Kashmir last year, as per a report by NCRB.
In other words, the over 1000 precious lives were cut short in eight months as life came to a grinding halt following August 5 when centre revoked Articles 370 Â and 35A of the constitution amid massive security clampdown.
The deaths surpassed fatality count due to road accidents in four years from 2015-18.
In 2015, 16, 17, and 18, NCRC report says, 917, 958, 926 and 984 people were killed respectively.
The data presents statistics based on the information obtained from Police but does not present the human impact of the carnage urban and rural roads.
While data does not reveal locations, most of these accidents indubitably must taken places on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. More often than not, the tragic incidents keep on repeating along the thoroughfare, synonymous to lifeline for the people of the Kashmir Valley for dependency on food and other essentials.
The strategic highway has tragically, and historically too, consumed numerous lives. The death of any person is colossal and no amount can bring back to families who lose their loved ones, their bread-earners.
Every time an accident takes place in which sizeable lives are lost, condemnation from official machinery galore. However, the response from them has been far from responsible. In the past a Committee on Road Safety was constituted and several specific and time-bound directions were issued even as Supreme Court has been trying to shake governments out of their apathy. There is need to probe all major accidents every time they happen by qualified transport safety experts to determine the factors that lead to them. There is also need to identify lapses, if any, and to take up remedial road engineering measures.
The top court has directed that the performance of district committees should be reviewed periodically. This should be followed in letter and spirit. Sans expert help, executive agencies such as the Police and Public Works Departments are unable to conduct a technical investigation into an accident. Only a scientific system can help reduce the number of accidents. The present investigative machinery does not have the capability to determine faults that otherwise enable officials responsible for bad road design and construction to escape liability. For those injured in an accident, there is also the heavy burden of expenditure on medical treatment. The administration needs to work on these aspects without further delay and laxity.
In other words, the over 1000 precious lives were cut short in eight months as life came to a grinding halt following August 5 when centre revoked Articles 370 Â and 35A of the constitution amid massive security clampdown.
The deaths surpassed fatality count due to road accidents in four years from 2015-18.
In 2015, 16, 17, and 18, NCRC report says, 917, 958, 926 and 984 people were killed respectively.
The data presents statistics based on the information obtained from Police but does not present the human impact of the carnage urban and rural roads.
While data does not reveal locations, most of these accidents indubitably must taken places on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. More often than not, the tragic incidents keep on repeating along the thoroughfare, synonymous to lifeline for the people of the Kashmir Valley for dependency on food and other essentials.
The strategic highway has tragically, and historically too, consumed numerous lives. The death of any person is colossal and no amount can bring back to families who lose their loved ones, their bread-earners.
Every time an accident takes place in which sizeable lives are lost, condemnation from official machinery galore. However, the response from them has been far from responsible. In the past a Committee on Road Safety was constituted and several specific and time-bound directions were issued even as Supreme Court has been trying to shake governments out of their apathy. There is need to probe all major accidents every time they happen by qualified transport safety experts to determine the factors that lead to them. There is also need to identify lapses, if any, and to take up remedial road engineering measures.
The top court has directed that the performance of district committees should be reviewed periodically. This should be followed in letter and spirit. Sans expert help, executive agencies such as the Police and Public Works Departments are unable to conduct a technical investigation into an accident. Only a scientific system can help reduce the number of accidents. The present investigative machinery does not have the capability to determine faults that otherwise enable officials responsible for bad road design and construction to escape liability. For those injured in an accident, there is also the heavy burden of expenditure on medical treatment. The administration needs to work on these aspects without further delay and laxity.
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