Recurring road accidents and rising number of casualties thereof is a matter of concern with the civil society. Since J&K is a hilly state and the National Highways, besides their arteries, are mostly cut out of mountains made of rocks or of sandstone. These are always prone to road accidents if the drivers commit even the slightest negligence. Consequently great responsibility devolves on the State agencies. Logically speaking this recurring problem has to be tackled through a double-pronged strategy. One is to make the roads safer for transport. This is done by taking a number of steps like widening the road, four-laning it, bypassing the vulnerable turns, digging tunnels, raising sidewalls at dangerous stretches and giving artificial support to stretches of hills prone to land and mud slides in rainy season etc. On this count, we are not going to enter into a debate.
The second component in minimizing the chances of road accidents is devising a road safety policy as the desk book guideline for the traffic police, the drivers, police, medical, R&B and other agencies. Conscious of the fact that such a roadmap was conspicuous by its absence, the Governor, during the days when he was heading the administration, had asked the Transport Department to frame the draft road safety policy for the consideration of the Government. A draft in this context was prepared and presented to the Governor in February 2016. However, the Governor, after examining the draft ordered that the draft be placed in public domain so as to invite more suggestions on the subject from stakeholders. After receiving some suggestions, the draft was finalized. In the meanwhile, the Coalition Government came to power and Governor’s rule ended.
Since then, the entire matter has got held up somewhere and there is no movement in sight to say that the Government is really very eager to have such a policy in place. The Transport Minister while winding up the debate on allocations for his department in the Legislative Assembly did not touch on the matter in his formal speech which shows that the subject is not receiving priority from his department. We learn that the Monitoring Committee of Transport Department officers has accepted the suggestion vis-à-vis checking sale, supply and consumption of liquor alongside the National/ State Highways. Moreover, the Committee has carried out necessary modifications in the draft to ensure strict adherence to provisions of Ribbon Development Act so as to ensure free flow of traffic on all the roads. The Committee has put weight behind the suggestion regarding raising enough awareness about different aspects, which lead to accidents. Even suggestions regarding improvement in issuance of driving license system have been considered by the Monitoring Committee. It has also been agreed that natural plantation barrier along side roads shall be ensured.
As per the draft of Road Safety Policy, in order to provide safer roads and mobility, the Government will establish centre of excellence across the State to create capacity in road safety research as well as human resource for road safety engineering within the R&B Department. It is also learnt that the draft policy also envisages the social aspect of road accident and post-accident implications and concerns.
Now in this background, it will be tantamount to callousness if the Road Safety policy is not formalised and implemented because the delay means allowing innocent passengers to remain exposed to the threat. Government has to understand its responsibility. We, therefore, implore the Transport Department to take up the matter with the GAD very seriously and without loss of time so that Cabinet approval to the policy is obtained.
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