Congress delegation led by Saroori visits GMC Doda, demands relief and urgent road repairs

• Blames poor road infrastructure for frequent accidents in Chenab Valley; urges restoration of statehood 

DODA: A Congress delegation led by Senior Congress leader and former minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori visited Government Medical College (GMC) Doda today to meet the victims of the recent Bharat-Doda road accident. He interacted with the injured and their families and assured them of full support from the Congress party.  Saroori demanded an ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives and a government job for one member of each affected family. He said the victims should not be left alone in their suffering and emphasized that the party would raise their concerns at the highest level.
 
Speaking to reporters after the hospital visit, Saroori expressed deep concern over the alarming rise in road accidents in the Chenab Valley. He blamed the deteriorating condition of roads and narrow stretches as the primary causes of repeated tragedies in the region. “The roads in Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban are in extremely poor condition. Immediate action is needed to repair and widen them before more lives are lost,” he said.
 
He appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to expedite road restoration and macadamization works, especially in accident-prone zones. “It’s the poor and working-class people who suffer the most due to government inaction,” he added.
 
Saroori also recalled that during the 2008–2013 term of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, a dedicated committee chaired by Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, of which he was a member, conducted a detailed study of the road safety situation across the erstwhile Doda district. The committee submitted a comprehensive report recommending safety measures to prevent such accidents. “Unfortunately, the report has been gathering dust. Not a single recommendation has been implemented,” he lamented.
 
Turning to another issue, Saroori criticized the police administration for preventing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other political leaders from offering tributes at Mazar-e-Shohda on July 13. “The martyrs of July 13 sacrificed their lives for democracy and justice. Denying political leaders the right to pay homage is a disservice to their legacy,” he said.
 
He also thanked Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi for consistently advocating the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the Modi government to end the delay and restore full statehood without any further excuses.
 
Later in the day, Saroori chaired a Congress workers’ meeting at the Dak Bungalow in Thathri. He called upon party workers to prepare actively for the upcoming Urban Local Body (ULB) elections, scheduled to be held in October–November this year. He urged them to strengthen ground-level connections with the public and to highlight local issues with full commitment.
 
Saroori’s visit and statements have once again brought attention to the critical infrastructure challenges and political aspirations of the people in Chenab Valley, underlining the need for urgent government intervention and responsive leadership.  Saroori was accompanied by a senior Congress delegation comprising Altaf Hussain, Asgar Hussain Khangi, Mudassar Ahmed, Mohd Iqbal Teli, Mohd Iqbal Keen, Mashkoor Ahmed, and other party leaders.