Rajouri, Aug 7: The District Development Commissioner (DDC) Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma (IAS), has placed the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), PMGSY Sub Division Kalakote, under immediate suspension and ordered a high-level inquiry into the alleged negligence in restoring the Chak Methayani–Panglar–Kotecharwal road after reports surfaced that a 17-year-old girl lost her life while being transported to hospital due to the blocked road.
According to an official order issued by the Office of the District Development Commissioner, the action followed the circulation of a social media video alleging that the teenage girl died because the PMGSY road remained closed, delaying her transportation to a medical facility.
The order stated that while the Executive Engineer, PMGSY Division Rajouri, had informed through an official WhatsApp group that the road had been restored and was trafficable, a verification report submitted by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Koteranka, presented a different picture.
As per the ADC’s report, the girl had been suffering from an illness for about a month and had earlier received treatment at GMC Jammu before being discharged. When her condition worsened again, she was being shifted to GMC Rajouri. However, the Chak Methayani–Panglar–Kotecharwal road was blocked due to landslides, leaving the ambulance stranded for nearly two to three hours.
The report further stated that local residents manually cleared part of the landslide to allow the vehicle to pass, but the patient’s condition deteriorated during the delay, and she eventually died while being taken to GMC Rajouri.
The inquiry report also noted that the road remained in a poor and non-trafficable condition due to landslides and damaged stretches, severely affecting transportation of patients, food supplies and fertilizers. It additionally pointed out that emergency ambulance services, including 108 and 102, were not functioning effectively in the affected villages of Narla, Bamble, Kotecharwal and Panglar.
Taking serious note of the findings, the DDC observed that despite repeated directions from the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and the district administration for immediate restoration of roads damaged by recent rains, the road remained unattended, indicating prima facie negligence and non-compliance with official instructions.
Pending the inquiry, the Assistant Executive Engineer, PMGSY Sub Division Kalakote, who was in charge of the road project, has been placed under suspension with immediate effect. During the suspension period, the officer will remain attached to the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Koteranka.
The order also directs the Executive Engineer, PMGSY Division Rajouri, to explain why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him for allegedly misreporting the status of the road and failing to ensure its timely restoration. The salary of the Executive Engineer has also been withheld until further orders.
In addition, the District Development Commissioner has directed the Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC), Rajouri, to conduct an in-depth inquiry into the matter and submit a comprehensive report to the district administration within seven days.
The order has been circulated to the Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Public Works (R&B) Department, Chief Engineer PMGSY Jammu, Superintending Engineer PMGSY Jammu, Executive Engineer PMGSY Rajouri, ADC Koteranka and other concerned officers for immediate compliance and necessary action.(KNC)
