 Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 5: Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar on Friday visited the most affected areas to review the restoration work on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Udhampur district and said that efforts are being made to reopen the highway by the next morning so that essential supplies can be facilitated to the valley.
The 270-kilometre-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for vehicular traffic for the fourth consecutive day due to multiple landslides and the washing away of road patches triggered by heavy rain in the Jammu region.
Kumar, who was flanked by senior officers, inspected restoration work at Thard area in Udhampur and was briefed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials on the ground, officials said.
A massive hill movement damaged a 200-metre stretch of the highway, the vital link between Jammu and Srinagar, the officials said, adding that teams are working tirelessly to restore connectivity and ensure safe passage for commuters.
Speaking to reporters, the Div Com said, “We are trying to reopen the highway by tomorrow morning so that essential supplies are facilitated to the valley. Efforts are on.” He said that debris clearance operations are underway on a war footing. “As the weather has improved, restoration work has been sped up.” The men and machinery of the NHAI have intensified their efforts to remove multiple landslides for early restoration of the affected places in the Udhampur-Ramban-Banihal section, they said.
The most affected areas include Shalgadi, Nachilana, Panthyal, Maroog and Peerah in Ramban–Banihal, where retaining walls and stretches of road have been washed away, and a heavy landslide has even entered one tube of the Peerah tunnel.
In the Udhampur sector, around 10 km of road between Jakhani, Thard, Bali Nallah and Dewal has been affected, they said.
Over 3,700 vehicles are stranded at various places in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban and the Kashmir valley due to the closure of the highway, they said. |
