Image Source: Greater Kashmir

Agencies:

Over 8k accidents, 1750 deaths on Srinagar-Jammu highway in past decade; experts blame bad engineering

Jammu
January 23, 2021

Attesting to the notoriety of the 300-odd kilometres road, the Srinagar-Jammu highway � the only major road link connecting Kashmir to rest of the world � has reported over 8,000 road accidents in the last ten years that caused nearly 1,800 fatalities, official data have revealed.

As per the data compiled by the J&K Traffic Police Department and District Police Ramban accessed by Greater Kashmir, the Srinagar-Jammu highway reported a total of 8,128 accidents between 2010 to 2020 that led to 1,750 deaths and 12,131 injuries.

The treacherous stretch from Banihal to Chanderkote in particular has been the most fatal witnessing 858 deaths as per the data.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) J&K Traffic, T Namgyal attributed the highway accidents to the increasing volume of traffic on the highway and the rocky terrain of the road, saying it would take three to four years to �stabilize� the highway.

�Until then authorities can do very little to prevent fatal accidents especially on the treacherous stretch from Banihal to Chanderkote,� the ADGP told.

Namgyal further argued that the vulnerability of the highway often leads to vehicles being stranded for a couple or more days, �which exhausts the drivers and they often meet accidents when sleep overtakes them.�

Asked why authorities did not install crash barriers and reflectors as preventive measures, Namgyal said the installations were not possible in view of the continuous blasting of mountains and tunneling going on along the highway.

Until the highway was stabilized, he urged travelers to follow the advisories strictly for now to reduce the flow of vehicles on the highway and prevent massive traffic jams.