STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: A cab taking a group of persons from Srinagar to Kargil fell from a mountain highway in the Ganderbal district on Thursday, killing five persons, officials said.
The accident took place in the Sonamarg area where the passenger cab skidded off the mountainous Zojila Pass road on the Srinagar-Leh highway due to slippery road conditions caused by recent snowfall, the officials said.
They said five persons on board the vehicle died in the accident.
All the victims hailed from Kargil and were identified as Mohammad Hussain, Shabir Hussain, Mohammad Akbar, Mohammad Amin and Abdul Hadi, they added.
This is the second major accident along the Zojila Pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway in three days.
Five persons, including four tourists from Kerala, died while three others were injured in a similar accident on Tuesday.
In response to the frequent fatal road accidents along the Zojila stretch, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ganderbal, Shyambir along with SSP Ganderbal Nikhil Borkar, convened a meeting to address the issue and devise immediate safety measures.
The DC emphasized the need to identify and compile a list of black spots on the Zojila road stretch. This initiative aims to bolster road safety measures, including raising crash barrier heights and installing signages and mirrors to enhance visibility and awareness.
To conduct a first-hand evaluation of the road conditions, a joint visit involving all stakeholder departments and the Deputy Commissioner was also scheduled Friday. This collaborative effort seeks to assess the situation comprehensively and implement effective safety measures promptly so that such road mishaps are prevented in future. Meanwhile, the DC expressed grief over the unfortunate loss of lives in today’s tragic road accident on Zojila pass in which 5 persons died.