Minister for R&B, Gardens, parks and Floriculture, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has said that Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Syed is committed to take necessary possible steps to minimize the number of road accidents in the State. He said the Government will improve the conditions of road for the smooth movement of vehicular traffic across the State.This was stated by the Minister for Roads and Buildings, Syed Altaf Bukhari while addressing a felicitation function of the event “Drive Ok- Live Ok” organized by EMMRC and ILM consultancy here in Kashmir University today.Dean Academic Affairs, Prof. Mohammad Ashraf, Director, EMMRC, Dr Shahid Rasool, Dr. Altaf Ramzan a known surgeon from SKIMS, Faculties of different departments of the University, Sajjad Bazaz from J&K Bank besides a large number of students of EMMRC were present on the occasion.Appreciating the initiative, the Minister said that road accidents are rising to an alarming level in the country particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister said as per available data 892 people have died and 8733 injured in 6067 road accidents in Kashmir Valley during past three years up to ending 2014. He said the rate of accidental deaths per thousand vehicles in the state is 1.1% against all India average of 0.9%. Advocating for holding camps to make aware people about the traffic rules and the dire consequences of negligence driving, the minister said “we must start it from our homes and sensitize our children first.”
The Minister said Government has taken several measures for improving road infrastructure, adding that Banihal-Qazigund and Qazigund-Srinagar roads are likely to be completed within next three months. He said GOI has agreed to make Srinagar-Uri road a four lane road while several roads in the State have been declared national highways.Bukhari said that widening and macadamization of roads taken up by the department across the Valley is aimed to give better road connectivity to the people. He said better roads is primary need for curbing road accidents, adding the drivers should also avoid rash driving. He said most of the road accidents are happening due to negligence of drivers, adding that in certain cases the mistake of pedestrians also becomes cause of fatal accident. He said both drivers and pedestrians should follow the traffic rules strictly to avoid road accidents.
Regarding establishment of trauma hospitals on highways, the Minister said that two hospitals are functional at Pattan and Bijbehera, adding the hospitals need adequate equipment including Ambulance with critical-care facilities and trained doctors and para-medics to provide quick life saving medicare to the critically injured in accidents.Professor Mohammad Ashraf, Dr Shahid Rasool, Dr Altaf Ramzan also spoke on the occasion and shed light on the levent “ Drive Ok, Live Ok”. They said that both drivers and pedsetrains have their role in reducing traffic accidents. They said that need is to sensitize drivers as well as common people about the fatal results of the road accidents.