High Court seeks update on steps taken by NHIDCL, J&K Govt to curb road accidents

Srinagar, Oct 11: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has granted six weeks’ additional time to Amicus Curiae Advocate S.S. Ahmed to visit the Mughal Road and submit a detailed report on the implementation of safety measures recommended by an Expert Committee constituted by the court.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal passed the direction while hearing three public interest litigations, Intakhab Ahmed Qazi v/s State of J&K & Ors (PIL No. 30/2019), District Bar Association, Doda v/s UOI & Ors (PIL No. 01/2018), and Court on its Own Motion v/s UT of J&K & Ors (PIL No. 13/2022), concerning road safety on National Highway-244 (Batote–Doda–Kishtwar) and the Mughal Road.
Advocate S.S. Ahmed, assisted by Advocates Supriya Chouhan and M. Zulkarnain Chowdhary, submitted that in compliance with the court’s earlier order dated April 22, 2025, he, along with two petitioners, Advocate Syed Asim Hashmi, former President of the Doda Bar Association, and social activist Asif Iqbal Bhat—had already inspected vulnerable stretches along NH-244 and filed a detailed report on August 20, 2025.
However, the Amicus informed the Bench that due to adverse weather conditions, he was unable to conduct a similar inspection on the Mughal Road and requested further time to complete the task.
After hearing the submissions, the Division Bench granted six more weeks to the Amicus to visit the Mughal Road and submit a comprehensive report on the implementation of measures undertaken by NHIDCL and the J&K Government based on the Expert Committee’s findings submitted on March 16, 2024, through the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.
The committee had earlier recommended a series of structural and administrative measures aimed at minimizing accidents and improving road safety on both NH-244 and the Mughal Road.
During the hearing, DSGI Vishal Sharma and CGSC Eishan Dadhchi appeared for NHIDCL, while Government Advocate Sunil Malhotra represented the J&K Government.
Considering the public importance of the matter, the Division Bench directed the Registry to re-notify the PILs for further hearing on December 24, 2025. [KNT]