Activists Urges LG to Set up National Highway Help Desk in his Office

Set Up  National Highway Help Desk in LG’s Office: Activists

Jammu, 16/Jan/2019: Disappointed over frequent blockade of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and death of people  in road accidents, civil society members from Jammu have urged the Union Territory Administration of Jammu and Kashmir headed by Lieutenant Governor Governor Girish Chandra Murmu to pay attention towards the plight of the people of the J & K UT who are facing acute hardship due to repeated  closure of the Jammu Srinagar National Highway and establish a National Highway Desk in his office.

In a joint appeal endorsed by RTI Activist Raman Sharma, Dewaker Sharma, Deepak Sharma, advocates of J & K High Court, Munish Sharma, founder and managing trustee ‘Vishwas_the Trust ‘ and Karan Parasher of Law department of Jammu University, they have asked the UT administration to remain responsive to the difficulties faced by the people of the region due to road blockade. The civil society members while making the appeal to the LG also condemned the lethargic  approach of the National Highway Authorities and civil administration of all districts falling  between the Jammu_Srinagar National Highway who pay no heed towards the stranded passengers, truck, tank and other heavy load carrying vehicles who are compelled to spend days together on road and the district administration there make no arrangement for their food or even water and these people are made to live in sub-humane conditions.

They also said that more  than the natural calamities and bad weather, the lackadaisical approach of the concerned authorities  is responsible for long traffic jam on road. In the appeal they have asked the government to make proper halt points for drivers, cleaners of commercial vehicles where they may get minimum facilities like food, water,  washrooms, restrooms, ATMs and telephone services.  

The activists said it is wrong to blame only traffic police for the mess on the National Highway because neither they have adequate manpower nor resources and it needs coordination amongst all the stakeholder departments to make these roads motor able and it is only possible when highest office like office of Lieutenant Governor takes charge of the situation on daily basis and issue necessary directions clearing all the bottlenecks and strengthening the coordination between different departments therefore it is imperative that a help desk is established in LG’s office in this regard.