J&K is a territorial aggregate of different geographical zones, and these zones are mostly separated by difficult terrain. This difficulty hits us hard when the weather takes a bad turn. People cannot, in case there are rains or snowfall, travel to or from these region.
This is something that has now cast a permanent shadow on our lives. Particularly on those who live in far off regions. Now that the summer season is getting concluded in next few weeks, and autumn will set in, the harsher days are not far away. With that we will have rains, and up next, in a few months, the season of snow will begin.
The question that begs answer is the same raised million times before. In this technologically advanced time, when roads, tunnels, and railway tracks have been laid in the most terrible terrains, why are we still lagging far behind. Why does it take a drizzle to disrupt traffic on a busy road as Srinagar –Jammu Highway.
Why people in Kargil, that is a neighbouring geographical zone, remain cut off from places like Srinagar where they have thick commercial, societal, and educational connections. Why a surface connection like Mughal road is not functional during winter months.
Why many areas in regions like Pirpanchal and Chinab valley fall into a freezing isolation during winter months. These are all very valid questions and we need to present them time and again before the authorities so that they remain focused on upgrading the routes connecting various geographic zones in, and around, J&K.
If only the projects already underway are completed soon, we can create a significant difference in the inter regional connectivity. Just recently we saw the opening up of the road tunnel between Qazigund and Banihal.
This has not only reduced the distance between Srinagar and Jammu, but has bypassed a patch on the earlier road that was risk prone and would often witness long traffic jams. Similarly if other tunnel and bridges are completed on this highway, we can have a sigh of relief. One can only impress upon the authorities to speed up the works and upgrade the technologies employed in these projects.