Floods disrupt road connectivity in J-K; Poonch, Doda among worst hit

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 29 (ANI): Floods triggered by heavy rainfall have thrown road connectivity out of gear in Jammu and Kashmir, with Poonch and Doda districts facing the brunt. Major routes, including the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), have been damaged, bringing traffic to a halt.
In Poonch, traffic carrying essential commodities through the Mughal Road has been suspended, as NH-44 from Udhampur to Srinagar remained closed on Friday. This closure followed the washing away of up and down tubes on the highway in the Samroli area due to heavy rainfall.
Officials said that restoration work is underway.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh also visited the area to assess the restoration work on NH-44.

Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma told ANI, "Several roads were damaged due to the rain in the past few days. The NH-44 is closed. It might open this evening or by tomorrow morning... In Poonch, there was significant damage due to rainfall..."

"I myself went to the Mughal Road. We are removing the hurdles...We have provided all the necessary directions. Everything will be smoothed out by this evening.." he said, adding, "this road (Mughal Road) is through. The allowed transportation is permitted to travel with essential commodities."
In Doda district, a portion of the Pul Doda-Ghat Road was severely damaged on Friday following floods, further hampering movement.

Earlier, a portion of the bridge (the fourth bridge on the Tawi River in Jammu) collapsed on August 26. Vehicular movement on the route remained affected on Friday, and the restoration work was ongoing.

"One-way traffic is open between Satwari Chowk and Asia Crossing. Many people are on the job here," SSP Traffic Farooq Qaiser told ANI.
The region has been witnessing heavy rainfall and landslides, disrupting normal life.
Earlier in the day, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) began clearance operations in the Pir Panjal range after flash floods triggered landslides that blocked roads in Rajouri district.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued weather alerts for several parts of the Union Territory.
A yellow alert was sounded for Friday in Poonch, Reasi, Rajouri, Kishtwar, and Udhampur districts, warning of thunderstorms and lightning. An orange alert has been issued for Saturday and Sunday in Poonch, Kishtwar, Jammu, Ramban, and Udhampur, indicating the possibility of heavier rainfall.
Meanwhile, all government and private schools across the Jammu division will remain closed till August 30. The decision was made in light of several alarming reports from various districts, highlighting severe conditions that were affecting school operations, officials said.
Heads of Institutions have been advised to evaluate the possibility of conducting online classes, specifically for students in Classes 9 to 12, whenever suitable infrastructure and internet connectivity are available.
Earlier on Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reviewed the flood situation in the region and expressed concern over the damage caused by two days of continuous rainfall, saying the Union Territory had narrowly escaped a major crisis.
Speaking to ANI, the Chief Minister drew parallels to the devastating floods of 2014, noting that further rainfall could have triggered a disaster of similar scale.
"If it had rained for 1-1.5 more days, we would have faced a lot of difficulties. However, the water has now started receding... But going forward, I will have to hold meetings with the officers myself to understand what we did after 2014. If this is the situation after two days of rain, then God forbid if it had rained for four days, our situation would have been like it was in 2014... We will have to take stock of our shortcomings because we cannot continue to live in fear," CM Abdullah said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Abdullah spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the situation in the worst-hit areas of Jammu, particularly along the banks of the Tawi River, which had suffered significant damage due to recent events.
The Indian Army's Rising Star Corps has been working tirelessly round-the-clock to conduct extensive rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected regions of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Pathankot, and Gurdaspur. Deploying 20 columns, the Army has successfully rescued over 943 individuals, including 50 children from an orphanage in RS Pura, 56 BSF personnel, and 21 CRPF personnel.
In addition to rescue efforts, the Corps has been instrumental in providing essential supplies and medicines to those stranded, while also restoring critical data connectivity in Jammu to facilitate communication and coordination. The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Rising Star Corps personally engaged with the troops and Army Aviation units, lauding their unwavering dedication and commitment. (ANI)