Three Soldiers Die After Army Vehicle Falls Into Gorge On Jammu-Srinagar Highway

Three soldiers died in a road accident on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district on Sunday, officials said.

The accident took place near Battery Chashma when an army vehicle rolled into a deep gorge.

“The driver lost control of the wheel and the vehicle dropped into a gorge near Battery Chashma in Ramban district on the Jammu-Srinagar highway today. Three soldiers died on the spot. A rescue operation was immediately started,” an official said.

Police have registered an FIR into the incident.

The Jammu-Srinagar highway has remained closed off and on over the past fortnight. Heavy rain triggered landslides on the Ramsoo-Ramban stretch.

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In many areas, mudslides and landslides washed away parts of the road. Though repairs have been made, the over 40-km-long Ramban-Ramsoo stretch still poses a risk.

Army movement and civil supplies to the landlocked Valley depend on this highway. Any closure causes shortages of essentials like food and petroleum products in the Valley.

Unscrupulous traders often exploit such closures. They create artificial scarcity to charge inflated prices from helpless buyers.

Due to this uncertainty, Kashmiris have long demanded a rail link with the rest of the country.

The rail link from Katra in Jammu to Baramulla in the Valley is now ready for inauguration.

Once operational, the railway will benefit horticulture, agriculture, tourism, industry, education and daily life. Travel will become affordable and dependable all year round.

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