Kishtwar tragedy
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Kishtwar tragedy

Post by on Monday, February 7, 2022

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Last Thursday, six people were killed in a horrific road accident in kishtwar district of J&K. The accident happened when a vehicle in which these people were travelling skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge. According to police sources, five persons died on the spot and one died en route to the hospital. Kishtwar accident has brought immense grief to the affected families in particular and to the people of this UT in general. This incident happens to follow the series of road mishaps the UT has witnessed lately. Someone has to take the responsibility for such a horrible mishap. It is not the first time that an accident of this scale has occurred on this route. Earlier also we have seen catastrophes hitting the people of this region on these roads. In all the earlier accidents, and this one also, there are some pointers that appear in bold as the contributing factors. The condition of roads is one of the prime factors that results in such mishaps. Had government taken notice of the condition of the roads in the hilly regions many accidents could have been avoided. Second contributing factor is that a large number of people in Kashmir continue to flout the traffic rules despite the government and traffic authorities proactive measures to ensure complying of road safety measures. Furthermore, overcrowding is also one of the reasons responsible for accidents. Usually our public transport operators violate the norms that have been laid down by the government about the number of passengers a particular vehicle can carry.  In an attempt to maximize their profits they carry more passengers than is recommended, putting their lives at peril. The concerned authorities can easily stop them from doing so. By fining the erring drivers and owners heavily or may be even cancelling the road permit and the driving license the menace of overloading can be eliminated completely. Third contributing factor is the condition and status of the vehicles used for plying passengers. No matter what the condition of the vehicle, it can comfortably ply on the roads especially in the far flung areas because hardly there is any check. Authorities must cease the vehicles that are found unfit for carrying the passengers. The likelihood of accidents can be reduced to a great extent on these roads if the concerned authorities apply themselves with more seriousness and professionalism.