Udhampur, July 23: A significant portion of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) on the down tube (Jammu-bound lane) subsided near Dewal Bridge in the Udhampur district amid continuous heavy rainfall.
Visuals showed the highway severely caved in, with river water moving at a fast pace alongside the road.
This adds to a growing list of infrastructure damage across the region this week, as flash floods also damaged the side of a newly constructed Kallar-Androla bridge on Munawer river.
The bridge, constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD), was in the final stage of completion and had not yet been opened to the public.
The Kallar-Androla Bridge was a long-awaited project, with local residents demanding its construction for more than 10 years. Before the construction of the bridge, residents used a suspension (jhula) bridge to cross the river. However, its approach was washed away during the devastating floods of 2014.
A tragedy also occurred when a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir’s Surankote area, leaving atleast seven dead on Sunday.
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said the government is conducting a detailed assessment of the damage in Poonch and will prepare a concrete relief package for submission to the Centre once the assessment is complete.
“We are deeply saddened and regret the loss of so many lives in Poonch district. We never expected such losses during this rainy season. The government had made complete preparations, so casualties were significantly reduced,” Choudhary said.
The deputy CM said several areas in Poonch were still facing electricity and water shortages, with roads damaged at multiple locations, and directed officials to increase tanker services and expedite generator installation to restore water supply.
“Last time also, when there was a loss, the Government of India had helped the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. We hope that this time also the Government of India will provide full help and compensation to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Beerwah in Budgam district on Wednesday to inspect damage from Tuesday’s flash floods and interact with locals, before chairing a review meeting in Srinagar on the government’s response.
He reviewed the restoration of essential services, road connectivity, relief operations and district-wise preparedness. The meeting was informed that electricity supply in the affected areas is expected to be substantially restored by this evening. (ANI)
