Mohd Irfan
Taking serious note of the chronic traffic Jams on the NH, Chief Secretary Dr Arun kumar Mehta convened a meeting of senior officers and passed directions to them to facilitate the movement of civilians as well as tourists on Jammu-Srinagar NH along with Amarnath yatris. Commuters travelling on the Jammu Srinagar highway complained that they are being stuck for six- seven hours resultant there in they have to face insurmountable hardships, as works on four-laning between both capital cities going in full swing on Ramban-Banihal stretch.
As the holy Amarnath yatra started and now the vehicles commuting on the NH 44 will increase manifold as such government needs to ensure the hassle free movement of the yatris as well as the Civilians. The stretch between Ramban to Banihal being prone to landslides as such as per reports Commuters being stuck up on this stretch mostly. Government making every effort from their side that commuters not face inconvenience but despite that commuters complaining to those who intends to embark on the Journey on NH 44 that they should prefer air Journey as they will face precarious situation on account of chronic Traffic Jams. One of the commuter rued that so much is the traffic Jams on the NH 44 that i have to stuck up for more than seven hours, adding, thank God I am alone not with my Family. Had I been stuck with my family then I would have been gone through a nightmarish experience “he gives vent to his anger said.
“There is dire need for the government to have first-hand appraisal of those stretches where frequently traffic jams takes place recurring so that the commuters not face any hardships” Social Activist advised to the government adding, as Holy Amarnath Yatra started as such government needs to take prompt measures to regulate the traffic on NH smoothly so that the government not come under severe criticism from the different quarters”, said a pilgrim.
Echoing similar views, another commuter, rued that he can’t embark on the journey on Jammu Srinagar NH 44 given the massive traffic Jams adding, when different agencies are on the job to make the road traffic worthy at the Ramban stretch rather government has also engaged the agencies for four laning of the NH so that arduous Journey on the NH 44 will be made hassle free. As prior journey on Jammu-Srinagar took about 10-12 hours, but as per the government time will come when one can reach Srinagar in four hours from Jammu. I too stuck on NH 44 and that was really a horrific experience to tell to the public. If one can tell the same it would bring the functioning of the government under scanner”, he asserted. It is pertinent to mentioned here in that Top boss of the administration Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta chaired a meeting of officers in the administration and issued on spot directions to the officers. Even CS directed the senior officers of the Traffic department to have field inspection of the different spots. For smooth conduct of Holy Amarnath Yatra 2023, the Jammu and kashmir Union territory Traffic department issued an advisory for the Yatris so that they can have hassle free movement from the period 30th June till 1st September 2023. Even Traffic Police Chief of National Highway, SSP Rohit Baskotra since the day taken over the reign, is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring free movement of vehicles be it LMVs Or the HMVs so that the commuters can’t face hardships. SSP National Highway during the course of vehicles breakdown on the Highway ensured that Vehicles lifted from the crane as early as possible in order to avoid serpentine queue on the NH.