Dozens of vehicles getting stuck on Mughal Road due to snowfall on Tuesday underscores the need for better understanding at official level regarding allowing or disallowing the traffic movement on the road during rough weather.
Government machinery in Poonch’s Surankote sub-division had to launch a massive rescue operation to clear the affected road stretch and evacuate the stranded drivers and passengers. As per reports snowfall affected part of the road is between Pir Ki Gali and Poshana in Poonch district.
The authorities were successful in their efforts and the stranded people were rescued. Since it was a light snowfall the rescue operation was not that difficult. Had it been a heavy snowfall, the things would have gone bad.
The officials regulating traffic movement on Mughal Road must properly monitor the weather forecast while allowing traffic. As the first snowfall of the season has occurred now on the higher reaches, wherefrom the road passes, it will continue to re-occur in coming weeks and months depending on the weather conditions.
This is the duty of the authorities to see that whether forecast permits allowing the traffic movement on the road or not. That is for the safety of the travellers on the road. Due to heavy snowfall in winter the road gets closed for few months. But till that time the traffic movement has to be cautiously regulated.
There are also reports that Mughal Road is not being properly maintained at several places. This problem too needs to be taken care of. Worsening of the road condition in absence of necessary repairs leads to more problems.
Driving becomes problematic, which also leads to traffic jamming. Because of the increasing traffic rush and subsequent problems on Srinagar-Jammu highway, Mughal Road has become an alternate road for those, who want to travel on it.
Recently, when the apple laden trucks got stuck at Srinagar-Jammu highway, the authorities recommended using of Mughal Road as an alternative road. Even large number of trucks from south Kashmir moved through the road.
Construction of the Mughal Road provided important road connectivity between Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu with Kashmir. Keeping in view its importance, the road must get due attention at official level and should not be neglected.
