The news of the tragic passing of the father of Dr. Manzoor Wani, the renowned gastroenterologist at Rainawari Hospital, has sent a wave of shock and grief through our community. The circumstances are nothing short of horrifying: while leaving their clinic late in the evening, Dr. Wani and his father were moving towards their residence on foot. As they navigated the 90 Feet Road, a speeding vehicle driven by youngsters struck them with such velocity that Dr. Wani’s father was thrown several meters away, while the vehicle itself smashed into the iron fencing of the road divider.
A life dedicated to the family and the community was cut short in an instant of madness. As we offer our deepest sympathies to Dr. Wani and Dr. Naveed Nazir Shah, who has lost a dear uncle, we must confront the bitter truth: these accidents are the predictable outcome of a culture of recklessness that is spiraling out of control.
A National Crisis in Numbers
The tragedy in Srinagar is a painful local reflection of a staggering national epidemic. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), road fatalities in India reached an alarming peak in 2024, with over 1.77 lakh deaths—averaging roughly 485 deaths every single day. Over-speeding remains the leading killer, responsible for over 70% of these fatalities, often involving innocent pedestrians who have no protection against the impact of a speeding car.
The “Fantasy” vs. The Reality
Our roads have become a stage for a dangerous “Bollywood-style” display of ego. Many of our youngsters drive with a spirit of invincibility, forgetting that they are navigating narrow, crowded Kashmiri streets and not flying through the air. The fact that an iron-fenced divider was mangled by the impact proves that no infrastructure can save us if the person behind the wheel has no regard for human life.
The Crisis of the “Majnoons”
Perhaps the most painful aspect of this crisis is the role of the “Majnoons”—the underage and unlicensed drivers. We must ask: how does a teenager get behind the wheel of a high-speed vehicle? Too often, it is with the silent consent of parents. We have replaced responsibility with social display, and the price is being paid in the lives of our elders and pedestrians.
A System Under Strain
With over 27 lakh vehicles now registered in our Union Territory, the infrastructure is gasping for air. Our roads are physically squeezed, and the problem is compounded by a severe shortage of manpower within the traffic department. Despite their dedication, the personnel available are simply insufficient to manage the sheer volume of vehicles currently on our streets.
Furthermore, we must address the issue of car parking. In many areas, parking charges have become prohibitively expensive, leading drivers to bypass designated lots and park on the roadsides. This results in massive traffic jams that force pedestrians into dangerous positions on the road.
A Collective Responsibility
The time for mere “sadness” has passed. This requires:
Parental Accountability: Stop treating lethal machines as toys for your children.
Stricter Enforcement: The traffic department needs the resources and manpower to take stringent action against reckless driving.
Community Vigilance: We must stop glorifying speed and start prioritizing the safety of our fellow citizens.
We cannot bring back those we have lost, but we can honor their memory by ensuring no other family endures this preventable grief. Let us choose life over speed.
(The writer is a former civil servant from the administrative service.
Email: nissargilani57748@gmail.com )
