Thathri Accident, A Wake-Up Call
As seen for long time, the Transport and Traffic authorities in Jammu and Kashmir state have either failed to perform their duties or have shown their incapability particularly when it come to check the increased frequency of accidents which are often caused due to overloading.
Common man fails to understand why overloading in allowed in hilly terries despites knowing this often results in fatal accidents killing many precious lives. If one has to see the cops of Traffic Police active, then he or she has to visit Jammu or Kashmir, the two main capital cities of the sate, where these cops immediately stands up and could be seen trying their best to seen perform best out of worst. Unfortunately their so called best attempts are not aimed at to regulate traffic or implement such a mechanism which could prevent the routine jams on the city roads. In-fact they are there to standup and create the mess, traffic chaos, jams and problems for the common people………..whenever some VVIP, VIP or any body who is privileged to use red light atop the vehicle travels. On such occasion these ‘Brave’ cops in blue uniform of our Traffic Department’ become active so the ministers, bureaucrats and others alike could get impressed by their suddenly activities which gives a brief passage to their laziness.
The activeness not ends here only. When it comes to collection of money from either in the form of Challan, many say penalties but majority describe it as ‘Hafta’ applicable to commercial vehicles only on all roads- Highways more suitable for cops) for not using helmets or not carrying the papers/documents of vehicles, the faces of these ‘Brave Cops’ who can not control the overloading in cities as well as in hilly terrains, could be seen glowing.
Go out and try to find and feel the desire of a common cop who is dependent on his salary only. If asked, as I have many times, they want to settle their families, they desire to educate their children in good schools and desire to construct well furnished houses in city like Jammu for which they keep on trying to get themselves transferred in Traffic Department. It has been alleged in the past that for such transfers, some cops even offered ‘gift money’ (don’t read bribe,-it is voluntary).
But have anybody ever tried to find out that why every cop wants to feel the stuff of ‘blue uniform’. I think, and yes, every body knows it but does not matter. Let them do what ever they want to do, let them remain relaxed and let every day people suffer and let passengers be killed in accidents due to overloading, who cares?. No body was, is and will be ever, exception might be there.
Forget the past and take the accident of today which took place in Thathri area of Doda district.
See in a mini bus which has the sitting capacity of only 32 passengers, 46 were boarded, as there was no one to check. As usual the routine overloading resulted into a tragic accident, in which, 8 were killed on the spot 25 injured, some critically and 13 were missing some where in the water of ferrous Chenab River.
This piece of my writing is not to target any Department. I wish that let the authorities came out with some corrosive measures so the over loading could be prevented at-least the frequency of deaths caused in such tragic accidents due to overloading could be minimized.
Authorities have to wake-up; it is high time under Governor’s rule as no political influence and no political pressure.
I hope the authorities would devise a mechanism to check the overloading in hilly areas which have dangerous roads for travel and some precious live.