Ramban Flash Flood: Jammu-Srinagar Highway Remains Closed for Third Day
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Synopsis
The Jammu-Srinagar highway has been closed for three days due to severe damage from flash floods, with restoration expected to take five more days. Hundreds remain stranded as relief efforts continue amidst significant challenges.
Key Takeaways
- Jammu-Srinagar highway closed for third day.
- 22 locations damaged; restoration in progress.
- Three fatalities reported from landslides.
- Panic buying of fuel observed in the Valley.
- Air travel demand surges due to highway closure.
Jammu, April 22 (NationPress) The significant Jammu-Srinagar national highway has been closed for the third consecutive day as of Tuesday, with officials indicating that it will take an additional five days to restore the route.
Engineers from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) reported that the highway has suffered damage at 22 locations, and restoration efforts are currently underway.
Devastating landslides caused by flash floods took the lives of three individuals on Sunday in the Ramban district, while over 100 people were rescued.
Approximately 4 to 5 km of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was entirely washed away, burying numerous vehicles under debris.
Hundreds of travelers remain stranded on the highway, as authorities have stepped up to provide both shelter and food.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, despite adverse weather conditions, visited Kali Morh on the highway on Monday to oversee the relief operations and evaluate the damage.
He stated that while the damage is substantial, it occurred at a local level and therefore cannot be classified as a ‘national disaster’.
CM Abdullah assured that all possible support and assistance would be extended to the affected families.
Former Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah has urged the Centre to intervene and provide relief for the impacted families.
Meanwhile, V.K. Bidhuri, divisional commissioner (Kashmir), has reiterated his appeal to the public in the Valley to refrain from panic buying, emphasizing that there are adequate stocks of food and petroleum products to last for a fortnight.
People have been flocking to filling stations throughout the Valley to purchase petrol and diesel far exceeding their daily needs.
“This panic buying can lead to a depletion of stocks, as we are seeing a threefold increase in the number of motorists each day,” said an attendant at a filling station in Ganderbal district.
The Mughal Road, which connects the southern Kashmir Shopian district with the Rajouri district of Jammu division, is currently open for one-way traffic for light motor vehicles (LMVs).
The closure of the Jammu-Srinagar highway has also resulted in a surge in demand for air tickets, as both tourists and locals are opting for air travel to avoid the uncertainty of ground transportation.
