03-28-2024     3 رجب 1440

Highway woes

January 21, 2023 |

The strategic Srinagar-Jammu national highway is back into headlines for all the wrong reasons. With Kashmir set to face persistent wet weather conditions during the winter months, the highway will now start caving in under its own weight and more often than not. Shooting stones and mudslides are the two leading perpetrators of the chaos that hits the only all weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the world. Although these two perpetrators can strike at any place along the more than 200 km highway, the worst affected areas fall along the stretch between Banihal and Ramban that has also snuffed out the lives of hundreds of passengers. The highway expansion work on the stretch has been going on for several years but it seems to be a never ending process. The treacherous faces of the mountains, which connect these two places, have turned into a horror not just for the passengers who have been killed but also for the team of labourers, workers and engineers who are executing the expansion project. They have been struggling for months to complete the project which could have eased the life for commuters. However, the uncertain behaviour of the geography of the region has put major blockades in their plans. In fact, uncertainty has been the hallmark of this highway. Sometimes the highway will remain open despite inclement weather conditions. Sometimes, it remains shut for days, even though the weather may seem fine. This is the true nature of God's earth. It is unpredictable and one can never be sure of taming its inherent volatility. This is a lesson learnt the hard way by the project team. And its cost is being borne by the commuters who have to literally put their lives at risk when they embark on the road trip between the two capitals of Jammu and Kashmir. Improving connectivity to Kashmir has been one of the first promises made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior government ministers to the people following the withdrawal of the erstwhile state’s special status. After all, good connectivity is a stepping stone to any region’s socio-economic development. Good roads bring prosperity which nourishes happiness and peace. The Srinagar-Jammu highway is the only-all weather link that connects Kashmir with the rest of the world. Completing the expansion works quickly and urgently, and handing over the highway to people is a promise which the sooner it is delivered, the better it would be.

Highway woes

January 21, 2023 |

The strategic Srinagar-Jammu national highway is back into headlines for all the wrong reasons. With Kashmir set to face persistent wet weather conditions during the winter months, the highway will now start caving in under its own weight and more often than not. Shooting stones and mudslides are the two leading perpetrators of the chaos that hits the only all weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the world. Although these two perpetrators can strike at any place along the more than 200 km highway, the worst affected areas fall along the stretch between Banihal and Ramban that has also snuffed out the lives of hundreds of passengers. The highway expansion work on the stretch has been going on for several years but it seems to be a never ending process. The treacherous faces of the mountains, which connect these two places, have turned into a horror not just for the passengers who have been killed but also for the team of labourers, workers and engineers who are executing the expansion project. They have been struggling for months to complete the project which could have eased the life for commuters. However, the uncertain behaviour of the geography of the region has put major blockades in their plans. In fact, uncertainty has been the hallmark of this highway. Sometimes the highway will remain open despite inclement weather conditions. Sometimes, it remains shut for days, even though the weather may seem fine. This is the true nature of God's earth. It is unpredictable and one can never be sure of taming its inherent volatility. This is a lesson learnt the hard way by the project team. And its cost is being borne by the commuters who have to literally put their lives at risk when they embark on the road trip between the two capitals of Jammu and Kashmir. Improving connectivity to Kashmir has been one of the first promises made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior government ministers to the people following the withdrawal of the erstwhile state’s special status. After all, good connectivity is a stepping stone to any region’s socio-economic development. Good roads bring prosperity which nourishes happiness and peace. The Srinagar-Jammu highway is the only-all weather link that connects Kashmir with the rest of the world. Completing the expansion works quickly and urgently, and handing over the highway to people is a promise which the sooner it is delivered, the better it would be.


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