Jammu: Life across Jammu division remained paralyzed for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday, with the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway still closed and rail services unlikely to resume soon due to extensive damage to tracks and bridges.
The highway, the only all-weather road link between Kashmir and the rest of the country, has remained blocked since August 26 after heavy rains and flash floods triggered multiple landslides. More than 2,000 vehicles are stranded at different points, while the closure of other major roads has led to shortages of fuel, LPG, vegetables and essential supplies in several districts.
Traffic officials said the 270-km highway is blocked at several locations between Jakhani and Chenani in Udhampur. “Restoration work has not been completed yet. No vehicular movement shall be allowed from Nagrota towards Reasi, Chenani, Patnitop, Doda, Ramban, Banihal and Srinagar today till further orders,” officials said. Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Saloni Rai, expressed hope that the road could be restored by Saturday evening.
At present, the Mughal Road linking Poonch with Shopian is the only alternative route to the Valley. However, district administrations have restricted it to one-way traffic, causing congestion and leaving many vehicles stranded. Drivers have urged authorities to permit two-way movement to ease the situation.
Authorities added that while the Mughal Road and the Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag road are open for light vehicles, several inter-district routes remain cut off due to landslides and road erosion, leaving many villages isolated. On the Jammu-Pathankot highway, one tube each of the Lakhanpur-Madhopur and Sahar Khad bridges has been damaged, with traffic being regulated on the remaining tubes.
Electricity has been restored in most urban parts of Jammu district, though several rural pockets in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Doda, Ramban, Reasi and Udhampur remain without power. Acute water shortages persist in Old Jammu City, where tanker supply has failed to meet demand, leading to protests.
The pilgrimage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra has also been suspended for the fifth straight day as rains continued in the area.
Rail traffic in the region remains severely disrupted. Officials said several railway bridges and tracks have been extensively damaged by flash floods and soil erosion. Bridges 17 between Kathua and Madhopur and 137 between Hiranagar and Ghagwal are among those badly hit. Sources said full restoration of the double track could take three to four weeks.
Since Tuesday, no train has arrived or departed from Jammu, Katra and Udhampur stations except for two special services run on Wednesday and Thursday. With one track now partially restored, authorities are considering running a limited number of special trains. Two trains, one towards Uttar Pradesh-Bihar and another to Delhi, are planned to depart from Jammu on Saturday afternoon. Repair work on Bridge 163 at Chak Rakwal is also nearing completion, and the Katra-Jammu track is expected to reopen by Sunday.
The Meteorological Department has forecast light to moderate rainfall across Jammu division till September 2, with some areas likely to see heavy showers and thunderstorms. It has also warned of possible flash floods, landslides, mudslides and shooting stones, advising residents to avoid rivers, streams, nallahs and vulnerable structures.