Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday inspected road restoration works at the badly damaged Tharad area on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.
This was his second visit to the spot, reflecting growing concern over hundreds of trucks stranded there. The stuck vehicles include those carrying Kashmiri apples for outside markets and fuel supplies for the Valley.
On Tuesday, Abdullah had joined a high-level virtual meeting chaired by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to review the restoration status of the highway, which suffered heavy damage in the record rainfall of August 26–27.
“During his on-spot assessment of the NH-44 restoration work, the chief minister, accompanied by Minister Javed Ahmad Rana, directed the officials concerned to expedite the process, noting that the prolonged closure is severely impacting the supply of essentials, including fresh fruit,” the chief minister’s office said in an X post.
A three-kilometre stretch between Tharad and Balli Nalla in Udhampur district was buried under a massive landslide during the rains. Other locations between Jhakani and Nashri, and Peerah and Banihal, also saw extensive damage.
During the inspection, officials briefed Omar Abdullah on the situation and assured him that every effort was being made to keep the highway open despite frequent bad weather. The chief minister asked the chief secretary to ensure lane discipline and regulate traffic for smoother clearance.
Abdullah also met families whose homes were damaged in the disaster and promised them proper rehabilitation.
At Tuesday’s meeting, he had stressed the difficulties faced by fruit growers and traders due to the highway’s prolonged closure. He urged the Union minister to allow uninterrupted movement of heavy vehicles.
He said while blacktopping and road maintenance are important, they should not come at the cost of essential traffic flow. “Blacktopping can wait for its turn. But large vehicles, especially 4-axle and 5-axle trucks, cannot be diverted through Mughal Road. This is the only route available for them. A huge number of trucks are stranded on the Kashmir side alone, clearing this backlog is crucial,” he said.
He pointed out that the fruit season is at its peak and transportation delays are causing heavy losses to growers and traders.
In response, Gadkari assured the chief minister that his concerns would be addressed and said clearing the backlog of trucks and other heavy vehicles would be given priority before resuming blacktopping.
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