Accidents on Jammu-Katra road

Sir,
The beautiful road between Jammu and Katra caters to more than 1 crore Vaishnodevi Yatries besides local populace of Nagrota and Reasi towns. But this road is one of the most vulnerable accident prone roads of the State despite the fact that it is wide enough to accommodate the present density of traffic easily. The reasons for most of the accidents on this road are manmade and an urgent attention towards this reality needs to be given by the concerned authorities.
The most prominent reason is the hoardings of different size on the brink of the road right from Jammu Airport to deep inside Katra and around. These hoardings even cover the Forest Department Land at various places and give an ugly look to the otherwise beautiful road. Defacement of the road has reached its peak. These hoardings distract the attention of drivers resulting in fatal accidents. The authorities sanctioning the hoardings should adhere to the norms set for using the road space and should only allow genuinely erected hoardings at the prescribed distance from the road. These huge hoardings cause a threat to life during stormy winds.
Another factor as a cause of the accident is the presence of monkeys on the road right from Hari Niwas Hotel as this road is the feeding place of the entire monkey population of the Manda and Nandini Forest range. The Wildlife Department has tried to convey the message to people but in a very in-effective way. The department has to do some exercise and run a long term awareness campaign for the cause so that the life of people as well as precious wildlife is saved.
Yours etc….
Sunil  Singh
On e-mail

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