Rajouri, Jan 28: Amid growing concern vis-a-vis recurrent fatal accidents on roads of the Pir Panjal sub-region, in a heartening aspect, the year 2023 witnessed a decline, though minor, in number of accidents and fatalities.
A comparative analysis of statistics registered 67 deaths in 468 accidents in 2023 against 78 deaths in 555 accidents in the year 2022.
However, the people of twin border districts calling for proper implementation of road safety norms, term this decline in figures as a ‘coincidence.’
They emphasise the need to have an effective road safety mechanism in place, especially for passenger vehicles.
Pir Panjal, a sub-region of Jammu province, comprises Rajouri and Poonch districts and is considered as a hard region in terms of surface transport, owing to treacherous mountains, slide-prone areas and roads passing over and through deep gorges.
Road traffic accidents have been of immense concern, especially during the last decade as they (accidents) have claimed a large number of lives, besides rendering several others injured.
Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway, also referred to as NH-144A, along with Rajouri-Kotranka-Budhal road and some link roads having blink curves are counted among sensitive roads, in terms of road accidents.
A part of the highway in twin districts, starting from Bhambla up to Poonch town, is the most ‘sensitive’ road stretch, which has emerged as a major ‘accident-point’ in the wake of mishaps, which take place almost daily – even may be minor.
Several accidents took place in the last two decades on the roads of Rajouri.
Over 50 passengers died in a bus accident on the Rajouri-Darhal road in January 2006; 18 passengers were killed in an accident on the Rajouri-Darhal road in January 2007 while around 60 passengers, all Baratis (members of marriage procession), including the groom, had died in a tragic mishap that took place when the bus, they were travelling in, was washed away in flood.
However, the year 2023 brought a slight respite for the sub-region by registering a slight decline in road accidents; fatalities and injuries when compared to the figures of 2022.
The data accessed by Greater Kashmir revealed that 468 accidents took place in Rajouri district in the year 2023 wherein 67 people lost their lives while 749 were injured.
Among these accidents, the month of June witnessed a maximum number of 49 accidents while January recorded 25 accidents – the minimal number registered in a month during the last year.
Thirty accidents took place in February; 38 in March; 34 in April; 46 in May; 43 in July; 46 in August; 45 in September; 40 in October; 44 in November and 28 in December.
The accidents in 2023, however, witnessed a minor decline as compared to the year 2022.
In the year 2022, a total of 555 accidents took place wherein 78 passengers lost their lives while 968 were injured.
On being contacted, Deputy SP Traffic Rajouri Poonch range, Mohammad Nawaz said that this decline was a healthy sign as a lesser number of accidents meant lesser loss of lives as well as property.
He said, “The decline of around 10 percent in the number of accidents is a positive sign but the aim of all stakeholders should be to bring the number to the lowest possible level.”
The officer also appealed to people to follow motor vehicle norms in letter and spirit, especially concerning road safety and the safety of people.
The people of the area have, however, termed this decline as a ‘co-incidence’ and reiterated their demand for a proper road safety mechanism and accident prevention efforts.
“We are happy to know that there is some decline in the number of accidents and loss of lives but a slight decline in numbers is not a very big thing,” said Muhammad Umer and Arif Hussain, who were joined by other locals.
They said that the sub-region still lacked a proper and effective road safety strategy from the department concerned.
“Accident prevention mechanisms are also not that much stringent which is a point of introspection and should be looked into on an urgent basis so that decline in accidents and losses in them is registered every year,” they said.