356 of 435 flood-damaged roads restored in Rajouri, Poonch districts

As many as 79 vital roads in the border region of Rajouri and Poonch remain shut for vehicular traffic after these were extensively damaged after being hit by flash floods and landslides on Sunday. Electric and water supply in many areas has also been disrupted due to the damage caused to infrastructure.

Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is monitoring the situation in these districts along the Line of Control (LoC), said “our focus is reopening key roads and restoring power and water supply. I was informed that out of 435 damaged roads, 356 have already been restored”.
Sinha spoke to the senior officials and the Deputy Commissioners of Rajouri and Poonch to assess property and public infrastructure damage caused by heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides.

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In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor said; “I spoke with senior officials and the DCs of Rajouri and Poonch to assess the damage to houses and key public infrastructure caused by heavy rains, flash floods, and landslides”.

“The Divisional Commissioner and IGP Jammu are currently on the ground, and I have instructed all departments to work around the clock in close coordination to manage rescue, relief, and restoration efforts”.

“Teams from the SDRF, NDRF, Army, BRO, NHAI, J&K Police, and Civil Defence are working together, while Quick Response teams are deployed in vulnerable areas. I am deeply anguished by the tragic loss of lives in this natural calamity”, he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has announced an ex gratia for kin of the seven people who died yesterday due to a landslide in the Loran-Mandi area.

To ensure close supervision of relief and rehabilitation measures, the Chief Minister has deputed Ministers Javed Ahmed Rana and Satish Sharma to visit the affected areas in Rajouri and Poonch. The Ministers will assess the ground situation, oversee the ongoing relief efforts and ensure that all necessary assistance reaches the affected families without delay.

The Army and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have restored two vital bridges and strategic roads that were damaged due to the flash floods.
At Jaran Wali Gali, Poonch the boundary wall of PM SHRI Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya collapsed onto several parked vehicles, creating an immediate hazard and disrupting movement on NH-144A. Troops of White Knight Corps reached the site without delay and, using specialised equipment, cleared the debris, extricated the trapped vehicles and assisted local residents.

In another operation near Khari Karmara, Poonch, heavy rains and strong currents damaged a vital bridge and disrupted local connectivity. Personnel of the White Knight Corps, in close coordination with 79 RCC (BRO) and local residents, undertook urgent restoration work.

An iron bridge was washed away at Dara Sangla in Poonch, isolating the village and restricting access to medical care. An Indian Army Medical Team crossed the flooded nala using an improvised wooden log bridge and reached the affected residents. The team conducted rapid triage, provided emergency first aid, treated an injured civilian and administered essential medicines to women, children and other villagers.