Tragic accident
Thirty Five people lost their lives only because of the callous and lethargic attitude of the authorities to streamline the transport system in Jammu and Kashmir State. It was a huge tragedy in Kishtiwar district when the old mini-bus having the capacity of 25 seats was carrying more than 50 passengers. The bus was coming Kishwan to Kishtwar when it fell in gorge and resulted in devastation to dozens of families. All the injured persons are in a critical condition and have been admitted in different hospitals of Jammu region.
The road accidents are nothing new in Chenab Valley region and dozens of people have died in the past few months in these mishaps. The authorities have been only issuing advisories and doing nothing practical for the streamlining of the system on ground.
State Governor Satya Pal Malik has expressed shock and the concern over the 35 deaths in the Kishtiwar road accident and has announced extra-gratia relief of Rs. 5 lakhs to the each of the family of the deceased. Governor has said that in the next administrative council meeting he will see to it that the culprits responsible in the administration for delay in streamlining the system are punished. He has said that he will take immediate decisions to streamline the transport system in entire J&K State especially in the rural areas.
Recently 11 students of a private computer institute lost their lives when their bus skidded-off the road near Peer-ki-Gali on the Mughal road and many of them were injured. Among the deceased included nine girls and the government right from the date of the accident has been working out remedial measures to minimize such accidents in the rural areas of J&K State.
The authorities will have to walk the talk and make a new policy of the transport system and all the buses which have been condemned by the transport department are still plying on the roads even in Srinagar city not to speak of rural areas.
