The horror of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has unfortunately remained unchanged on the ground as the commuters continue to face the hardships while travelling along the route. A couple of posts by the netizens indicate the actual situation and condition of the only road, connecting the Valley with the rest of the States. Despite the government directing the concerned agencies to ensure that the highway shouldn’t remain closed for more than seven hours, but since the Valley witnessed a few wet spells from February, the highway has remained closed for a maximum of time, thereby leaving the commuters to lurch at large. The shooting stones and landslides have been persistently occurring along the road whenever it rains or snows. During the closure of the road, the people, who are scheduled to reach their destinations via National Highway, are facing tremendous hardships, especially in the last one week. Although the men and machinery have been pressed into the services for clearance of the road, it is taking too long to clear the road and throw it open for vehicular movement. In the present situation, the government needs to come up with a proper solution in this regard for the wellbeing of the people, especially the traders and the students as well. It is the time when the government should also ensure that the alternate way is ready and available for the public always whenever the road is closed. The alternate route is the need of the hour so that the passengers are not forced to be stuck for a long time in the time to come.
Water security a permanent priority
Amidst the intense heatwave, a parallel crisis of water scarcity has once again gripped the Valley, leaving thousands of households...