NHAI promoting ‘mafia raj’ at Ban toll plaza: NC

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 24

Three days after a truck mowed down a man to death at the Ban toll plaza on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the National Conference (NC) has slammed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for failing to put in place the road safety and medical emergency measures on the highway leading to frequent accidents.

The party has also written a letter to the Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid, requesting him to look into the working of the entire toll plaza administration, which, according to it, was allegedly “bordering hooliganism” and “becoming a source of extortion”.

“This stretch (Jammu to Udhampur) of road has taken a high toll with some commuters either succumbing to their injuries or suffering disabilities mainly due to lack of adequate safety measures like lighting, barriers, road signs, reflectors, designated pedestrian facilities, crossings, underpasses for ensuring safe movement, security of the road users and medical facilities,” MLA from Nagrota and provincial president of the National Conference Devender Singh Rana said in a statement here.

He referred to the “most shocking death” of a young employee of the Ban toll plaza, Surjeet Kumar Sharma, son of Ram Nath Sharma, resident of Jagti, on its premises in broad daylight on Tuesday and said in the event of the accident it was the responsibility of the NHAI to provide immediate rescue and medical assistance but tragically the service was deficient.

He also quoted the recent example of Ghulam Mohammed, son of Siraj-ud-Din, resident of Tada, who met with an accident on January 31, 2017, and Sanjay Verma, son of Rudri Ram, resident of Bandsoo, who met with an accident on February 14, 2017, saying they were battling for their lives after having suffered serious brain haemorrhage because the precious time was lost due to delay in shifting them to Medical College Hospital as they were allegedly not rescued by the NHAI or its mandated agencies.

The MLA also hit out at the PDP-BJP dispensation for looking to the other side as far as vulnerability of this important road stretch on the highway was concerned that has put the lives of people in jeopardy. He warned against attempts of promoting “Mafia raj under active political patronage”.

In his letter to the DGP, the NC leader expressed concern over growing allegations of “NHAI-contractors-criminals-government officials’ nexus”, saying he was getting perturbed over frequent complaints of travellers being reportedly harassed, manhandled and threatened at the toll plaza.

“There have been alleged instances when travellers have been physically assaulted for reasons best known to those who are managing the plaza and the authorities who are supposed to maintain an oversight into their management,” he alleged.

Sources said the DGP had directed the IGP, Jammu, and IGP, Traffic, to look into the issues raised by the NC leader.