69 killed, 132 injured in ten major road accidents in J-K in 2019

Ten major road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir have resulted in the death of 69 persons and injuries to 132 so far this year, officials said Monday.

Fifty five people lost their lives and 56 others were injured in five accidents in the last 24 days.

While 35 persons were killed and 17 others injured in an accident in Kishtwar Monday, 11 students were killed and seven others were injured when a bus fell into deep gorge on Mughal Road in Shopian district on June 27.

Similarly, 18 persons were injured in a mishap in Kishtwar district on June 22. Nine persons were killed in Leh on June 8 when their vehicle rolled down Chang La pass area.

Three persons were killed and five others were injured in Udhampur on June 5, followed by injuries to 14 persons in another mishap in Doda district on June 14, they said.

On May 30, three persons were killed and 10 others were injured when a vehicles rolled down the road into gorge in Doda, while six others were injured in a similar accident in Rajouri on April 28.

"Mass-casualty bus crashes have become a norm in India, especially in hilly states like Jammu and Kashmir. Only 10 days back, 18 passengers, including children were injured in a similar road crash in Kishtwar. India's hill roads are notorious for poor road safety infrastructure," said Eilia Jafar, Chief of Programs at SaveLIFE Foundation.

Jafar said frequent road crashes point to the fact that there is an urgent need to bring in key interventions like installation of crash barriers, signages at dangerous stretches, as prescribed by the government guidelines.