Commuters passing through Srinagar-Jammu National Highway have expressed resentment over its dilapidated conditions at many places.Those traveling on the road regularly attribute the frequent occurring of accidents to the dilapidated condition of the road right from Pantha-Chowk in Srinagar outskirts up to the Nagrota Police Check post.“The continued accidents that have taken place during the past few months claiming several precious lives and injuries to many others have been unfortunate and tragic and what is even more shocking is the explanation offered to such tragic accidents,” said a Tata sumo driver adding that it is actually the dilapidated condition of the road which causes the frequent accidents.A delegation of commuters on Wednesday told KNS that the highway is completely damaged at various places.
Though crores of rupees are allocated annually for maintenance of 300 KM NHI by the Government of India, physically, the road is completely in shambles which is likely to take a heavy toll in the coming months.As on today National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and its concessionaires are entrusted the job of maintaining the existing road, however, they are little bothered about the same, instead, they are more concerned by the new alignment at the cost of the existing one.They said, the road leading from Banihal to Patnitop have developed deep potholes at several places thus pose serious concern to the commuters. “Due to dilapidated roads our journey to Jammu remains always uncomfortable and we never reach Jammu on time,” One of the Sumo Driver said.Despite several appeals to concerned authorities to repair the roads, the concerned authorities have failed to eradicate the problems faces by commuters on daily basis.The Sumo drivers and Truck Drivers have appealed the concerned authorities and government to repair the road as early as possible which has been irksome for them and has been causing great inconvenience. (KNS)