Huge traffic jam on Akhnoor road, people remain stuck for hours together

Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 3: The failure of the Government to widen the Jammu -Akhnoor road despite the repeated pleas by the people has been a constant cause of daily traffic jams on it.
Though traffic jams have been a routine affair on this road, there was a huge traffic jam this afternoon which lasted for hours together and caused lot of hardships to the people. As a consequence of it, the interior as well as other link roads also witnessed huge traffic jam and Chaos. The authorities attributed the jam to marriage season and election rallies.
The huge queues of vehicles were witnessed on the Akhnoor road right from Bakshi Nagar to Domana. Some Baratis who were on their way to far-flung areas of Rajouri and Poonch district or from Akhnoor and Sunderbani to other parts of Jammu district after getting stuck in the jam had to divert their vehicles through other routes to reach their destinations.
The huge traffic jam was also witnessed on Jammu-Talab Tilloo and Marh road after some vehicles diverted from that road and it took complete three hours to people to reach from Muthi to Talab Tilloo in matadors, which is hardly a distance of 10 minutes.
A lady who was carrying a sick patient to hospital pleaded with people to provide some space to her vehicle to pass as the condition of her patient was serious, but there was so huge jam that no body could help her as every one stuck in the jam was in hurry and wanted that his vehicle should pass first.
Besides, huge jam was also witnessed on other interior roads i.e Akalpoor road, Paloura -Bohri Link road Kamla -Palace Talab Tillo and other link roads.
Though SSP Traffic Mohan Lal along with other officers of Traffic Police and JKP swung into action to clear the jam but it took them over four hours to restore the normal traffic on Akhnoor road.
The people have expressed their grave resentment against the Government for its failure in widening the Akhnoor road which is a long pending demand with Government. For last two decades we have heard that the four lanning of Akhnoor road is in pipeline but till date no headway has been made in this regard, said Mangat Ram Gupta a social activist from Barnai.
Besides the routine traffic jams , the Akhnoor road has become a death trap as daily fatal accidents take place on this road with the increasing traffic rush, he added. The constant delay on the part of Government to widen the Akhnoor road is a criminal negligence on its part, said Dr G K Gupta another social activist.
He said mushrooming of marriage halls and educational institutions along the Akhnnor road has also been a cause of the problem. During the emergencies people are put to lot of trouble due to traffic jam on this busy road.
Dr Gupta said the concerned MP should take up the issue with Union Surface Transport Ministry and ensure early start of work on the road.
Admitting that the mushrooming of marriage halls on the road have been a cause of traffic jams on the road, SSP Traffic, Mohan Lal said that today being the day of marriages coupled with taking out of election rallies by the candidates of various parties there was heavy rush of traffic on the road that led to problem. The people trapped in the traffic jam have horrible story to tell. It took us one hour on a two wheeler to reach from Paloura BSF to Darmal, Muthi which is hardly three kilometer distance, said Mrs Jyoti. While Rohit Sharma who was traveling in a matador from Udaywala, Bohri to Tallab Tillo said that he boarded the vehicle at 4-30 pm and could not reach Talab Tillo even upto 7pm the distance which he could have covered by foot in 15 minutes.
People have also taken the authorities to task for not making it mandatory for the marriage halls on road side to make proper parking arrangements. The deal given by the authorities to marriage halls has been the cause of the problem, said Kewal Krishan Sharma a shopkeeper.
It may be recalled that the issue of widening of Akhnoor road and handing over it to State Government was also taken up with Union Surface Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari by president Chamber of Commerce Rakesh Gupta. Mr Gupta also informed the Minister about the problems faced by the people due to traffic mess on this road.
People also took the authorities to task for starting work on fly over to fill up gaps on joints during day time thereby hindering the movement of vehicular traffic. Such works on busy roads and National Highways are done during the night hours so that there is no impediment in traffic movement, said Ramesh Chander who also accused the authorities of working without proper planning thereby putting people to trouble.

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