Recurrent road accidents leading to tragic fatalities along the National Highway—Jammu – Srinagar/ Jammu-Doda-Kishtwar—– have become a nightmare. Various committees were constituted in the past to consider how these accidents can be controlled and driving on the highway made safe. Many suggestions were made and some were implemented. But implementation of a scheme or preventive mechanism needs the will and drive and not just paper work. No doubt vehicular traffic along the highway is somewhat regulated. But the real problem lies in Traffic authorities allowing circumvention of the rules. A cursory post-view of some of the road accidents on the highway will show that negligence of Traffic Police was the cause. Had not they been negligent and had performed their duty according to desk book rules of traffic, most of the accidents could have been averted and precious lives saved. Our concern is that precious lives are lost in motor accidents and these could be saved only if the traffic authorities strictly observed the rules prescribed for drivers plying on National Highways. In other words we say that the traffic authorities do not enforce the rules and norms and what could be the reasons for that is anybody’s guess.
Why has not the Traffic Department insisted on concerned authorities to set up all the recommended 12 Trauma Centres along the National Highway and equip these with paraphernalia to make them functional? Passengers who are seriously injured in an accident need immediate medical assistance, which must come in shortest possible time. Since dispensaries and clinics are not at hand in the accident prone areas along the Highway it was decided to establish Trauma Centres where passengers with grave injuries and shocks could be administered preliminary medication in a bid to save their lives. Central Government had agreed to provide finances for Trauma Centres at Leh, Kargil, Gund, Qazigund, Lowermunda, Bijbehara, Lawaypora, Rafiabad and Anantnag in Kashmir valley to minimize the death rate Where are the Centres and where is the equipment which would make these centres functional? These were recommended to remain open round the clock and in all the four seasons of the year. So far these centres are non-existent. However, Director Health Services claims that five such centres are functional though the level of functionality and the equipment needed for emergency medical assistance are not known. In the same vein a 25-bed Trauma Hospital was to come up in Pattan, Baramulla. Its foundation was laid in 2005. Nine years have elapsed and the hospital building is yet to come up. This indicates non-seriousness of the Health Department to provide facilities that would make travelling along the National Highway less hazardous. People lose faith on the administration if the latter behaves casually with serious matters like road accidents.
Government need to gear up to the demand of the people that all measures of making travel along the National Highway safe and secure should be implemented as recommended by the Advisory Committees. Traffic Department has to understand that their responsibility is to ensure precious lives are not allowed to become victims of wanton destruction in road accidents
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