Road accidents in KKH
By: Shakil Ahmad Jan
The Karakoram Highway
(KKH) is often called the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' due to its spectacular
beauty, high elevation, and the challenging conditions in which it was
constructed. It was started in 1962 and was completed in 1978 after going
through 18 years of hardships and tribulations. It was built with the help of
Chinese and Pakistani engineers. Around 810 Pakistanis and about 200 Chinese
workers lost their lives mostly in landslides and fall while building the
highway. It runs approximately 1,300 km (810 miles) from Kashgar, a city in the
Xinjiang region of China, to Abbottabad, Pakistan. It plays a significant role
in uplifting the economy of Pakistan in General and HUNZA valley in particular.
In recent years the highway has sought to become a 'niche' adventure tourism
destination owing to the improved security situation in the country, the number
of foreign tourists coming to Pakistan has increased manifold.
Among the tourist
destinations in the country, KKH is deemed as the "third best"
by The Guardian. The road has given visitors, mountaineers, and
cyclists easier access to the many high mountains, glaciers, and lakes in the
area
All things considered;
this road is also infamous for tragic road accidents. For the last couple
of years so many visitors’ vans, public vehicles, and bikers met with severe
road accidents and lost their invaluable lives.
If you will happen to
travel through this route, you will come across a dangerous curve (moode) near
Rahimabad, which is also known as QATIL MOODE, so far around ten vehicles have
fallen from there into the ravine resulting in innumerable casualties.
One month before,
three students while coming from HUNZA on bikes met with a terrible accident
and lost their lives, Today again a visitor vehicle from Karachi, plunged into
a ravine while taking a sharp turn, and as a result, four people died on the
spot and multiple got serious injuries.
Nevertheless, about 90
percent of accidents are primarily due to human error. Alcohol, fatigue,
inexperience, excessive risk-taking, and lack of driving skills are the
factors. At the same time, the government should also take immediate steps to
mitigate tragic road accidents. They should build two to three-speed breakers;
signboards must be placed on both sides. (e.g., signs for speed limits and
stop, warning signs, sharp curves, and slippery surfaces), similarly, The
provision of special turn arrows contributes to safety and reduces collisions.
There would be some other effective ways also, by utilizing them we can save innocent
peoples’ lives.
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