Banihal  May 21 (KNS): National Conference leader and district president Ramban Mr Sajjad Shaheen has expressed deep shock and dismay over the collapse of a tunnel at Khoni Nallah , Ramban in which 4 dead bodies of labourers have been recovered and six labourers are still trapped under the debris and are feared dead besides injuries to four others due to collapse of an under construction tunnel near Khooni Nallah Ramban yesterday.

While expressing solidarity with the families of the victims, Shaheen has urged the administration to gear up the rescue operation at the site and demanded ex-gratia relief for the families of the victims and free of cost treatment to those injured in the accident.

Taking strong note of the deteriorating condition of the National Highway-44 connecting Kashmir with the rest of India, Shaheen said, " It seems those running the day to day affairs are least bothered about the deaths and damage caused by the rapid increase in the number of landslides and shooting stone incidents and seem to mean very little or nothing to them.

Shaheen highlighted how the only supposedly "all-weather road" has turned into a death trap for commuters and the egregious rise in casualty count is immensely worrisome.

Shaheen said that the faulty execution of road widening between Banihal and Ramban is the main reason for the frequent highway blockades and loss of lives on NHW and has reiterated demand for the road safety audit of Ramban-Banihal stretch of the National Highway.

He further said that the current administration must look into the reason why the condition of the National highway is going from bad to worse, it seems the road widening project has now only led to an increase in people's problems.

" It is incumbent on the Government of the day to consult the experts for reaching to the bottom of problems that have resulted in increased landslides and shooting stone incidents in the area causing immense loss to life and limb, especially post road widening," he added. (KNS)