Launched with much fanfare Mughal Road, road connecting Poonch district at Buffliaz with Shopian in south Kashmir was touted as the alternate highway to the congested and ageing Jammu-Srinagar highway. There are no motor-mechanic shops on the entire stretch of 54 Kilometers, the most treacherous stretch of the road besides the weather on this stretch is so unpredictable that it is not uncommon to see snow, rain, and sunshine on a single day. There are some stretches on this highway where mobile connectivity is next to nothing and making an SOS call depends on the other wayfaring vehicles who do that at the next feasible point on the highway. All these factors make travel with family on this road a risky prospect. Given the hair-pin bends, pot-hole-ridden roads, and difficulty in navigation there has to be at least four to five motor-vehicle repair shops on this route. One is often incommunicado at such places and many times one has to wait for the Road Opening Party (ROP) to get help to those stranded on the road.
The government must take cognizance of the problems faced by the travelers on this route. We understand the concerns of the government when it comes to not disturbing the fragile ecosystem of this zone. However, getting skeletal public facilities like public toilet blocks in place is something the government must wish to undertake. We see economically fragile zones of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu where roads traverse through the National Parks but there are toilet blocks at certain feasible points even in this zone. The government must erect towers to improve mobile connectivity in this area. We can also have motor mechanic shops at certain distances on this stretch of road. If a vehicle breaks down the affected person should not be more than five kilometers away from a motor mechanics facility at any point on this highway.
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If the above points are followed in letter and spirit then we can think of making this highway as an alternate highway to the Srinagar-Jammu Highway. In its current state the highway is good for adventure tours and standalone tours. One does not have the confidence to take one’s family on a trip on this road. A lot needs to be done.
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