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Road mishaps continue to claim lives

FARZANA SYED. Dated: 5/13/2015 12:18:42 AM

SRINAGAR, May 12: Road accidents continue to claim scores of lives in the state. In yet another tragic mishap on May 11 at least 23 persons were killed and many injured in Udhampur district.
Although the steep rise in road mishaps has become a big cause of concern in the state over the years yet hundreds of people continue to lose their lives in such mishaps every year across the state.
Ironically the beginning of 2014 witnessed several tragic mishaps in which many persons were killed. One January 11 at least seven persons including 3 members of a family were killed and when the vehicle they were travelling met a head on collision with a mini truck. The incident happened on Srinagar Baramulla highway. Several other passengers were critically injured.
On March 19 at least seven persons were killed and scores injured after their vehicle plunged into a deep gorge Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The accident occurred when a Sumo on way from Jammu to Srinagar skidded off the road near Shaitani Nallah and fell into a deep gorge.
Barely a day later 3 persons died and over 30 were injured in yet another road mishap along in Budgam district. The incident happened when a passenger bus skidded off the road.
According to official sources around a dozen persons lost their lives and scores were injured in different accidents across the valley in past few weeks
Official data reveals that 7059 cases of road mishaps were registered in 2013 across the state in which 1070 persons died and more than 10,700 persons were injured.
The figures provided by traffic department revealed that during last four years 25495 road accidents were reported d in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. 4453 persons were killed and over 36920 were been injured in these accidents.
According to a news report the percentage of deaths in road accidents in valley is 66.5 percent as compared to the percentage of 37.2 at national level.
The statistics provided by officials reveal that 280 persons were killed in Kashmir valley in road accidents during 2014 and around 2500 persons were severely injured.
Officials at traffic department blame the harsh driving and bad road set up responsible for the rise in mishaps.
“It is very ironical that despite efforts and awareness being created road mishaps are on rise. I think it is the reckless driving which has resulted in increase in road accidents. Such mishaps often take place while negotiating blind curves. Therefore the road planning is also responsible to some extent,” SP traffic Haseeb-ul-Rehman said.