Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 23: The ongoing monsoon rains have rendered Batote-Doda-Kishtwar National Highway virtual death-trap for thousands of commuters travelling on this road every day as no maintenance has been carried out during the past seven months despite the fact that this road is lifeline of twin mountainous and tough terrain districts.
Reports said that ever since the monsoon hit the Jammu and Kashmir, this important National Highway connecting vast districts of Doda and Kishtwar with rest of the State and country has suffered immense damages at most of the locations but the Roads and Buildings Department, which is responsible for its maintenance, is watching the situation as mute spectator.
Major portion of this highway is lacking proper parapets and smooth surface as the same suffered extensive damage due to landslides during the current monsoon rains but maintenance work on not even one kilometer has been carried out till date for want of funds, reports said, adding at more than 50 places, the portion of the road has sunk or submerged during the rains.
Even today, a portion of the highway near Thathri submerged following heavy rains and vehicular traffic remained suspended for several hours but as usual the Roads and Buildings Department authorities only removed the debris and cut a portion of rock to carve space for movement of vehicles.
“It seems that R&B Department has completely surrendered and is least bothered about the safety of the commuters travelling on this road every day”, official sources said, adding “earlier the Border Roads Organization was carrying out some sort of maintenance particularly ahead of monsoon rains but this year no step was initiated even to carry out routine maintenance in most vulnerable spots”.
They disclosed that R&B Department is only removing landslides and debris wherever these come on road due to rainfall in order to make tall claims about keeping the road open but there is no focus on improvement of its condition, which can be evident from the heaps of debris lying on the sides of the National Highway at various locations.
“If the Roads and Buildings Department was not having sufficient machinery and other resources for the maintenance of this vital National Highway then what was the justification behind approaching the Union Surface Ministry for seeking transfer of this road”, sources regretted, adding “when the Union Ministry was approached for transfer of highway from BRO to R&B, it was stated with much hype that R&B Department has expertise and manpower for better maintenance but the competence has completely been exposed during the past seven months particularly during the ongoing monsoon rains”.
Notwithstanding the claims of the PDP-BJP Government that sufficient funds have been placed at the disposal of the Public Works Department for repair of Batote-Doda-Kishtwar National Highway, the situation is contrary on the ground as concerned officers of the department claim that not even single penny has been released for the purpose during the current year.
“Even if the funds are placed at the disposal of the concerned officers in next some days, the maintenance would not be possible on this highway ahead of winter when carrying out work would become difficult because of dip in temperature”, sources said.
About taking over of this road from R&B by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), a construction agency of Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, sources said, “no decision has yet been taken on this aspect also”.
When contacted, Superintending Engineer R&B Doda-Kishtwar, Des Raj said, “we have not received any funds till date for the maintenance of this highway”, adding “we are carrying out landslide clearance activities with much difficulties in the absence of funds”.
He, however, hoped that decision would soon be taken on taking over of this highway by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.
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