Jammu: A vital road connecting Rajouri, Reasi and Ramban districts was restored by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) after nearly month-long closure owing to major damage in the aftermath of heavy rainfall, a defence spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The restoration of the Budhal-Mahore-Gul (BMG) road, a strategically important surface link for the movement of troops and supply of logistics across important areas of Pir Panjal range, has come as a major relief for the local populace, he said.
It is the primary route that connects remote villages to sub-divisions and district headquarters, making it essential for the transport of goods, services, and emergency response, the spokesperson said.
On August 28, due to excessive rainfall in the Pir Panjal region and flash floods, Badora diversion on this road in Reasi district was severely impacted and washed out completely.
“This event had widespread consequences, affecting 15 villages and hindering inter-district and intra-district connectivity, specifically between Reasi, Rajouri, and Ramban districts. The diversion, which was a vital transport link in this rugged and remote region, was blocked, disrupting the flow of goods, services, and people across these areas,” the spokesperson said.
In addition to the immediate damage caused by the floodwaters, he said the situation was worsened by multiple landslides that occurred along the BMG road.
“These landslides prevented the machinery and resources necessary for the restoration of the diversion from reaching the site. Given the terrain and the extreme weather conditions, initial progress in assessing and repairing the damage was halted, leading to delays in the restoration works,” he said.
Despite these significant obstacles, the spokesperson said a team of 110 RCC under 31 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) Project Sampark took the challenge head-on.
Clearing of the landslide debris was started but it was not until September 8 that the necessary resources finally reached the Badora site. By that time, however, the water flow from the Badora Nallah, a rivulet that flows near the diversion, had increased significantly, further complicating efforts to restore the infrastructure, he said.
Faced with these challenges, the team decided to approach the situation using a combination of innovative engineering techniques and strategic planning, the spokesperson said.
He said the first major step was the diversion of water flow to allow for safe access to the affected area.
This was achieved by constructing a temporary water channel using River Bed Material (RBM), which diverted the flow of the rivulet and reduced the pressure on the damaged infrastructure, he said.
With the water flow under control, the spokesperson said work on restoring the diversion began on September 12.
After 10 days of continuous hard work, the Badora diversion was successfully restored by September 20, he said.
In addition to the Badora diversion, he said another major challenge arose due to the sinking of road formation along a 300-metre stretch and a vertical drop of 12 metres at Sarh and Jamslan.
“This damage, also caused by heavy rains, had further affected connectivity in the region. However, connectivity at these locations was also successfully restored by 110 RCC, reaffirming their capability and resilience in the face of natural calamities,” he added.
