Bring more respite to people

For the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, the only road connecting Valley with rest of the country—Srinagar-Jammu highway remained open for maximum time during the recent wet spell that began on Sunday evening and led to the disruption of normal life and closure of many major roads here. The highway remained closed for just a few hours only on Tuesday after the landslides and shooting stones occur along the road, but it was completely open for the vehicular movement on Monday despite the precipitation along the road. The Srinagar-Jammu highway would usually remain closed for days together whenever it rains, but the incumbent administration in Jammu and Kashmir led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has taken several key measures and also renovated the only road here with an aim to ensure there is an immediate end to the sufferings of people. This winter, it is expected that the key highway will bring respite to the people as the commuters are expecting less closure during winters unlike previous years. The government has already directed the concerned officials to make sure that the Srinagar-Jammu highway is not closed for the commuters for a long period, but is reopened within hours after the wet spell trigger landslides, shooting stones or slippery condition of the road. It is the time when the government needs to make sure that the concerned agencies executing the work on the national highway are geared up well on time to control the situation whenever it rains or snows. There is a need to keep the men and machinery always ready to deal with any eventuality so that the closure of the highway for a longer period is avoided and the people here could heave a sigh of relief.