DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand's scenic beauty is turning into a deadly trap for some visitors and locals alike, as crippling traffic jams during the peak tourist season have claimed a second life in just four days.
The latest tragedy saw a businessman in Nainital district succumb in an ambulance, unable to receive timely medical assistance, just days after a tourist died in Mussoorie under similar circumstances.
According to police sources, the latest victim, 40-year-old Jagmohan Singh Pinari, a shopkeeper from Dhaniyakot, experienced severe symptoms, including vomiting blood, on Sunday evening. His family promptly dialled 108 for an ambulance, hoping for swift medical intervention.
However, their desperate journey turned tragic when the first ambulance broke down en route. Despite the family's quick thinking to switch to another emergency vehicle, this second ambulance became hopelessly ensnared in a massive, hours-long traffic snarl near the popular Kainchi Dham. Tragically, Pinari succumbed to his condition, breathing his last inside the ambulance.
A distraught Labhanshu Pinari, Jagmohan Pinari's son, recounted the harrowing delay.
"The ambulance left for Haldwani at 4:30 PM, but it only reached Haldwani at 9:30 PM, where doctors declared my father dead," he alleged, pointing to the critical five-hour delay. Labhanshu further emphasised, "Due to the prolonged traffic jam on the road and the initial ambulance breakdown, my father did not receive timely treatment and tragically died."
Taking serious note of the incident, Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh has swiftly ordered a comprehensive inquiry. She stated, "An investigation is underway to determine why an old ambulance was dispatched for the patient if a fully functional new one was available, along with examining the overall response time."
This heartbreaking incident casts a grim shadow, following closely on the heels of another fatality reported just three days prior in the Mussoorie hill station. There, a tourist from Delhi allegedly died after failing to receive crucial and timely medical attention, also due to prolonged vehicular queues.
The situation is compounded by a manifold increase in the number of devotees visiting Kainchi Dham over the past few years, turning traffic management into a formidable challenge for the region. The upcoming fair at Kainchi Dham on June 14, adds to the administration's worries, as it is expected to exacerbate traffic jams beyond normal days, potentially leading to further complications.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Digvijay Singh Bisht, President of the Nainital Hotel Association, told the TNIE, "Given how the traffic problem in these hill stations is assuming a monstrous form year after year, there is an urgent need for a foolproof master plan for a smooth transportation system."