Potholed roads, a serious concern
Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a good progress when it comes to increasing and enhancing road network. Not only have many unconnected areas been joined to the existing road network, but efforts have also been put in to improve road connectivity across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, all said and done various concerns have still cropped up when it comes to maintaining these roads that have been constructed by various government agencies. The roads in Jammu and Kashmir have to be extra performing ones as we are exposed to various weather conditions.
In summers the temperature here almost crosses 36 degrees on an average and in winters the temperature slides down to a minimum of 12 to 13 degrees. This is in addition to the long spell of rainy season that we experience.
The weather vagaries and the non-maintenance on time leads to the roads getting damaged at multiple spots leading to many ills.
Ironically, these bumpy roads prove to be a bane as it has a significant consequences on various aspects of life. The bumpy roads can cause damage to vehicles, leading to higher maintenance costs. It also leads to reduced fuel efficiency as poor road conditions can decrease fuel efficiency, this increasing fuel costs and wastage of time.
This situation leads to a negative impact on trade and commerce as bad and bumpy roads can hinder the transportation of goods, affecting trade and commerce.
The issue has quite often been raised by various trade bodies here and they have been demanding better options for road construction and management as well so that such situations do not arise leading to losses and loss of reputations in trade.
Jammu and Kashmir has been one such place where frequency of road mishaps is highest among states. On an average newspapers report around one dozen road mishaps, and these are major ones only, and the others go unreported.
In most of these cases or accidents, injuries and even fatalities are reported which has caused immense loss of life. In addition the bumpy and potholed roads can cause vehicles to skid, roll over, or collide with other objects.
This phenomenon can cause stress, fatigue, and discomfort for drivers and passengers. Besides, various ailments are reported due to the constant jolting and vibrations.
Since, the bumpy and potholed roads lead to slow movement of traffic, the slow movement of heavy vehicles causes’ damage to surrounding infrastructure, such as buildings, bridges, and utilities.
Not only the damages but the slow movement of traffic is creating chaos on the roads as slow movement creates huge traffic jams leading to hours of time getting wasted in waiting as no one including the students, working class or officials reach their destinations on time.
The bad and bumpy roads have been putting a huge burden on everyone and the issue needs to be addressed as it’s essential to prioritize road maintenance and invest in infrastructure development.
