In 5-yrs, road accidents killed 4251 people in J&K, Chenab Valley emerging as hotspot

By statetimes_editor Last updated Mar 30, 2024

MASROOR AHMAD

SRINAGAR: According to a report released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), as many as 4,287 people lost their lives in road accidents from 2018 to 2022 in J&K. In 2023, as many as 893 people lost their lives in 6,298 accidents. According to data, an average of 850 persons die per year in Jammu & Kashmir. The Jammu region has witnessed the highest number of road accidents, reveals the data, issued by the traffic headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir. In fact, the Chenab roads have emerged as a major hotspot for road accidents, leading to hundreds of fatalities every year in Jammu & Kashmir. These accidents are a dark spot over the otherwise peaceful valley. People living in the region always worry while traveling on these roads.
A data revealed in response to an RTI query by the traffic police headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir stated that in 2019, Jammu reported 3907 road accidents, resulting in 695 fatalities and 4987 injuries. In the Kashmir division, 1889 accidents were reported, leading to 301 deaths and 2545 injuries.
In 2020, the Jammu division reported 3086 road accidents, resulting in 487 fatalities and 3798 injuries, while the Kashmir division registered1774 accidents, resulting in 241 deaths and 2096 injuries.
The Jammu division witnessed 3584 road accidents, with 560 fatalities and 4640 injuries in 2021, while the Kashmir division saw 1868 accidents, resulting in 214 deaths and 2332 injuries.
Similarly, in 2022, there were 3886 accidents in the Jammu division, resulting in 562 fatalities and 5554 injuries, while the Kashmir division reported 2206 accidents, with 243 deaths and 2818 injuries.
Also, in 2023, the Jammu division reported 3943 road accidents, resulting in 598 fatalities and 5486 injuries, while the Kashmir division witnessed 2355 accidents, with 295 deaths and 2983 injuries.
As of January 31, 2024, the current year has witnessed 398 road accidents, 55 fatalities, and 486 injuries. Among these, the Jammu Division reported 284 road accidents, 38 fatalities, and 342 injuries, while the Kashmir Division reported 114 accidents, 17 fatalities, and 144 injuries. Meanwhile, officials of the Traffic Department informed that they are making every effort to reduce road accidents, with a primary focus on educating people to adhere strictly to traffic rules. The officials stated that two-wheelers are a significant contributor to road accidents, followed by driver negligence. They stressed the importance of individual responsibility in promoting traffic awareness. Efforts are being made to identify accident hotspots and deploy personnel to mitigate risks. Additionally, investigations are being conducted to determine the root causes of accidents. The increasing number of vehicles on the roads, coupled with infrastructure challenges, such as potholes, contributes to the incidence of accidents. The officials stressed the need for collaboration among all concerned departments to prevent the loss of lives.