A Division Bench of J&K High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul (through video conferencing) has directed Senior AAG H.A. Siddiqui appeared for the Government of J&K vice Deputy Advocate General Arshad Majid Malik to place before the Court the latest status report regarding the steps taken with regard to improvement of condition of Mughal Road.
When this much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Intakhab Ahmed Qazi hailing from Tehsil Surankote and a practicing lawyer of J&K High Court highlighting the dilapidated and pathetic condition of historic Mughal Road came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the petitioner submitted that Deputy Advocate General Arshad Majid Malik has filed a comprehensive affidavit of Inspector General of Police (Traffic) J&K which reflects sorry state of affairs with regard to deployment of Traffic Police Personnel on the National Highways as also on the vulnerable roads in Hilly Districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch.
Advocate S.S. Ahmed from the affidavit of IGP (Traffic) pointed out that there are 03 DySsP, 04 DTIs, 01 Sub-Inspector, 11 ASI, 45 SPOs and 100 others making a total strength of 164 deputed on the National Highway 44 from Salora Udhampur upto Jawahar Tunnel Banihal whereas in District Doda there are 39 Traffic Personnel including 01 DySP, 01 Inspector, 01 Sub-Inspector, 01 ASI, 24 SPOs and 11 others. With regard to Kishtwar District there are 32 Traffic Personnel with 01 Inspector, 01 ASI, 26 SPOs and 04 others. In Ramban there are 96 Personnel including 02 DySsP, 02 Inspectors, 01 Sub-Inspector, 06 ASIs, 26 SPOs and 59 others. In Rajouri there is total strength of 69 Personnel with 01 DySP, 02 Inspectors, 02 Sub-Inspectors, 04 ASIs and 60 others. In Poonch there are 64 Personnel deployed with 01 Inspector, 03 Sub-Inspectors, 02 ASIs and 58 others.
Advocate S.S. Ahmed further submitted that IGP (Traffic) J&K has admitted in his affidavit that there is a paucity of man power at above said link roads and the same needs to be strengthened.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that in view of the non-regulation of Traffic effectively on the historic Mughal Road, 11 young students from Surankote Poonch met with a fatal accident on June, 27, 2019 while on picnic and lost their precious lives. He further submitted that in the offending Tempo Traveller against the sitting capacity of 12, 18 passengers were travelling and the young 11 students died on spot and the remaining seven got grievous injuries.
Advocate S.S. Ahmed further submitted that recently the U.T. Government has announced Rs.47.41 crore for the improvement of the 84.11 KM Mughal Road but there is no visible improvement on the ground and appropriate directions be issued to the U.T. Government to inform the Division Bench about the steps taken towards the improvement/upgradation of the Mughal Road.
After considering the submissions of Advocate S.S. Ahmed, the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Gita Mittal directed Senior AAG H.A. Siddiqui appearing vice Deputy AG A.M. Malik to place before the Division Bench the latest status report regarding the steps taken with regard to the improvement of the condition of Mughal Road. The Division Bench further directed the Registry to digitize the entire records of the instant PIL and the same may also be bookmarked so that the same is considered on the next date of hearing.