Ramban: The flash-floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain and cloudbursts severely affected nearly a dozen villages in the hilly Ramban district, a senior government officer said on Monday and added the authorities had mobilised resources to restore essential services and provide relief to the affected people.
Divisional Commissioner (Jammu) Ramesh Kumar also said various teams are on the ground to assess the damage.
Efforts are underway to provide an alternative road connectivity through the Mughal Road and the Sinthan Top road to the Kashmir valley as restoration of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway could take time due to the massive damage, he said.
Heavy rain, coupled with cloudbursts and thunderstorms, on Sunday claimed three lives and left a trail of destruction in the district.
Cutting across party lines, political leaders urged the Centre to declare the tragedy a “national disaster” and provide adequate financial assistance to the families affected to restart their lives.
“About 10 to 12 villages, including Seri, Bagna, Panote and Khari, have suffered varying degrees of damage and our teams are on the ground to make a complete assessment so that the affected population are provided relief,” the Divisional Commissioner told reporters.
Kumar visited the affected villages and was briefed about the situation by Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary.
“Restoration of essential services, including water and electricity, is underway and joint teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), army, police and other agencies are on the ground to improve the situation,” he said.
The Divisional Commissioner said the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway had suffered extensive damage, with certain stretches sunk and washed away while some others were buried under sludge and boulders.
“The highway will take time to get restored, even as our efforts are underway. We will have to check the cracks for stability. The retaining walls have also been damaged,” Kumar said, advising the stranded commuters to utilise the alternative Mughal Road and the Sinthan Top road for the time being.
He said efforts were being made to make the Mughal Road, connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu to south Kashmir’s Shopian, two-way as soon as possible to allow heavy vehicles carrying essential commodities to the valley.
The Sinthan Top road connects Kishtwar in Jammu with Anantnag in Kashmir but a fresh spell of snowfall forced its closure three days ago. Work is underway to restore the link.
Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma visited the affected villages and said, “We have come to assess the situation and submit a report to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.”
“We want the government to declare it as a national disaster and announce a rehabilitation package for the affected population,” Sharma told reporters.
Condoling the deaths of the three persons, he said the BJP was standing with all those who lost their dwellings and would ensure that they were properly rehabilitated by the government.
National Conference MLA Arjun Singh Raju demanded that the tragedy be declared a “national disaster” and said villages in the hilly areas had suffered major damage.
“The full assessment can be made only when the roads leading to the villages in the hills are opened. The administration is making efforts on a war footing and we are hopeful of restoring essential supplies by later this evening,” he said.
Police, army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, along with civil volunteers, have been at the forefront to provide relief, especially to hundreds of the stranded commuters and tourists.
After assessing the ground situation, a defence spokesperson said the army initiated immediate action in coordination with civil administration officials.
“While no emergency requisition has been made, civil authorities have assured they will seek army assistance should the need arise,” the spokesperson said.
He said Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) from Banihal, Karachial, Digdaul, Maitra and Chanderkote were rapidly mobilised to provide relief to the stranded travellers.
Army personnel extended support by distributing tea and hot meals, offering temporary shelters, and providing basic medical aid to those in need, he added.
Eight army columns are currently on standby at key locations to assist further, if required, the spokesperson said and added the army remained steadfast in its commitment to stand by the citizens in times of crisis, ensuring safety, support and timely assistance.
Union minister Jitendra Singh also praised the army for its efforts to reach out to the affected population.
“While the district administration team led by an energetic deputy commissioner has been commendably on the job, it is time also to acknowledge and thank the Indian Army for its timely assistance, which played a crucial role in providing relief to the local population,” he said in a post on social media.
“I feel gratified to inform (you) that the army has set up medical aid camps, distributed essential medicines and ensured access to food and clean drinking water. They have also made special arrangements for tea and basic meals for the affected population. Needless to say, the Indian Army (is) at the service of the nation, not only during the war-time but equally as much during the peacetime crisis,” the Udhampur MP further said.
Vehicular movement to remain suspended on Jammu-Srinagar NHW on April 22nd
The Traffic Police Headquarters, J&K issued a traffic plan and Advisory advising people not to undertake journey on Jammu Srinagar National tomorrow as the restoration works in flood hit areas of Ramban is still going on.
“Tomorrow vehicular movement will remain suspended on Jammu Srinagar NHW as the restoration work could not be completed today. People are advised not to undertake journey on Jammu-Srinagar NHW (NH-44) till the restoration work is completed and the surface is traffic worthy,” it said.
As per the Advisory Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag (NH244) road is closed due to fresh snow fall. Decision regarding the vehicular movement on the road shall be taken after getting green signal from NHIDCL.
Similarly, subject to fair weather and good road condition, after getting green signal from Road maintenance agencies (BRO), only one way traffic for all LMVs with Anti-skid chains followed by HMVs (only six tyres) shall be allowed from Kargil towards Srinagar on Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumari road. These vehicles shall be allowed from Minamarg upto 1330 hrs. No vehicle shall be allowed after cut off timing.
Likewise, subject to fair weather and good road condition, after getting green signal from Road maintenance agencies (GREF), LMVs Passenger/Private Cars shall be allowed from both sides on Mughal road viz from Jammu towards Srinagar and vice-versa via Poonch. These vehicles shall be allowed from Behramgala (Baffliaz) and Herpora (Shopian) at 0900 hrs. upto 1500 hrs.
The advisory further mentioned cut off timings for LMVs, Passenger/ private cars. The cut off timings from Jammu Side at Akhnoor is 1000 hrs, at Bhambla 1100 hrs, at Rajouri 1300 hrs. The commuters shall cross Manjakote by 1330 hrs, Surankote by 1430 hrs and Behramgala by 1500 hrs at the latest.
The cut off timings from Srinagar Side is 1230 hrs for TRC Srinagar, commuters should cross Nowgam Peaks by 1300 hrs, Pantha Chowk by 1300 hrs, Chandhara Pampore by 1400 hrs, Galandar via Kakapora by 1400 hrs, Marvel Crossing by 1400 hrs, Kandizal (Peaks NH-44) by 1400 hrs, Khudwani by 1400 hrs, Chawalgam Kulgam by 1415 hrs, Keegam NH-44 by 1430 hrs and Herpora by 1500 hrs at the latest.
As per the advisory No vehicle shall be allowed after cut off timings and No vehicle shall be allowed through Thanamandi-DKG-Baffliaz.
For Bhaderwah-Chamba road the advisory said It is still closed due to snow accumulation.
People are advised to undertake journey only after confirming status of the road from Traffic control units viz Jammu (0191-2459048, 0191- 2740550, 9419147732, 103), Srinagar (0194-2450022, 2485396, 18001807091, 103), Ramban (9419993745, 1800-180-7043), Udhampur (8491928625), PCR Kishtwar (9906154100), PCR Kargil (9541902330, 9541902331 and PCR Ganderbal (9906668731).
Restoration work on Jammu-Srinagar NH may take six days
The landslide-hit Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for a second day on Monday, with a senior NHAI official saying the road clearance operation, underway at 20 locations, was likely to take about six days.
Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the strategic 250-kilometre highway — the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country — on Sunday after heavy rainfall and cloudbursts triggered flash floods, landslides and mudslides in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district.
“We are faced with a challenging situation due to massive deposits of muck on the highway at more than a dozen places, especially on the four-kilometre stretch between Seri and Maroog. The height of the sludge at some places is more than 20 feet,” National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director Purshottam Kumar told PTI.
The agency’s major machinery, including earth movers, are buried under the debris, he added.
“Despite limited available resources of our own, we have arranged machinery from private contractors and deployed those at 20 affected locations simultaneously to speed up the restoration work,” he said, expressing satisfaction at the improved weather condition after two days of heavy rain.
However, Kumar said the highway was likely to take five to six days to reopen for traffic.
The highway has suffered major damages near Panthiyal and Kela Morh, he added.
Meanwhile, stranded commuters, including two newlywed couples, were seen moving on foot to reach their destinations.
“The road is destroyed (at a number of places). The situation is very bad,” Rajasthan native Devi Lal, who is heading home from the Magam area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, told PTI Videos in Ramban.
Accompanied by other members of his community, including women and children, Lal said they were walking to cross the problematic stretches before boarding a bus to Jammu.
Jamna, who was carrying a minor child on her shoulders, said stones and boulders were still coming down the hills overlooking the highway and added that the situation was frightening.
“We have not taken meals for the past two days,” she said as the group made their way to Udhampur.
Dressed in their wedding attire, Zahir Ahmad and Zaheera Bano were expecting a smooth ride into their new life together but it turned into an unforgettable journey as the newlywed couple had to walk from the bride’s Chenani home to the groom’s residence in Ramban.
“It was tiring but, in a way, it made the day even more special,” said Ahmad, adding he wanted no other person to experience such an ordeal.
Kashmir Images photographer, Farooq Javed, captures horrifying pictures along Jammu-Srinagar national highway following heavy rains and cloudbursts
