70 years on, Sgr-Jammu highway closure brings endless miseries for ill-fated Kashmiris | KNO

Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Srinagar, February 08 (KNO) : Grappling with the enormous problems in the wake of frequent closure of Jammu-Srinagar highway, the life-line for Kashmir, people of ill-fated valley are today cursing all the previous regimes for failing to find out and open alternate routes to ensure enough supply of essentials in winter. The government tacitly admits that Mughal road should have been thrown open for traffic for being an all-weather route while as direct train services from Jammu to Srinagar should have been an old affair but due to “technical glitches” Kashmir continues to suffer. Since January this year, the Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for the both way traffic for 28 times due to landslides and shooting stones at various vulnerable points like Panthal, Ramban and Ramsoo. Ejaz Rasool, an engineering student at Kashmir University said that despite the passage of 70 years, all the previous regimes, National Conference, Congress, PDP and now BJP failed to ensure an alternate measure was found to deal with the issues of frequent closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway that leaves people in frenzy. “See what is the condition of our markets, whatever rotten vegetables are available, they too are sold at highest ever prices. A poor man is left to die. I myself saw acute shortage of mutton, chicken and fresh vegetables in the market,” Ejaz told KNO. “There is an acute shortage or LPG and kerosene is already invisible. In such a situation what can a poor Kashmiri do, where he shall go.” An elderly Abdur Razaq, a resident of Khanyar area said that every single day, highway is closed and the frequent closure of the road leaves an ordinary Kashmir in lurch. “Except the dry vegetables, people of Kashmir remain dependent on few selected vegetable produced from the Dal Lake. But that can’t suffice the entire Kashmir population who also need cooking gas, kerosene, petrol, poultry and above all mutton.” Kashmiris are known as the voracious meat eaters and the non-availability of mutton and chicken make people crazy. Ironically, there is no check on the black-marketing as prices of vegetables have gone skyrocketing while LPG and petrol are sold against high prices. “After searching for LPG cylinder in Srinagar for hours, I finally got one at Karanagar against RS 1500, thrice the fixed price of the government,” said Imtiyaz Ahmed a resident of Abi Guzar. The Mutton dealers complain that they don’t receive any supply given the road closure but in many places, “butchers were selling mutton at exorbitant prices—Rs 500 per kg against government rate of Rs 400.” “I wonder when the road is closed, how the mutton shops have two sheep hanging for sale. There is no check at all,” said Rafiqa, a government employee. “There is a big question mark as to why all the previous regimes sat on the proposal of addressing the highway mess issue. Perhaps there are political dividends and that’s why this issue.” Talking to Kashmir News Observer (KNO) exclusively, divisional commissioner Kashmir Baseer Khan admits that people are facing hardships due to frequent closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway. “But one can’t stop landslides and shooting stones. I believe Mughal road should have been fully functional long back, vulnerable areas where prone to shooting stones and landslides should have been dealt with by the concern departments and that the train services from Jammu to Srinagar should have been through,” he said. “Had these three things been done, there would have been no shortage or essentials in this hour of crisis.”(KNO)