J&K Floods: Jammu-Srinagar Highway Reopens After 9 Days, But Challenges Remain

After being shut for over a week due to flash floods and landslides, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is finally open to traffic. The 270-km stretch, which is Kashmir's only all-weather road to the rest of India, had been closed since August 26. Though it briefly reopened on August 30, another landslide forced its closure, leaving thousands stranded and supply lines cut off.

Relief finally came as the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and hundreds of workers worked round-the-clock to clear debris. A massive landslide near Udhampur's Thard-Jakheni section, covering nearly 550x300 metres, had buried the road and made restoration extremely difficult. To bypass the blocked area, a 300-metre diversion road was built, allowing vehicles to move smoothly again.

Truckers carrying essential goods to Kashmir Valley, Doda, and Kishtwar are now being cleared in phases. However, the Mata Vaishno Devi yatra remains suspended for the 16th straight day, with other regional routes also facing disruptions.

While the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road and the Mughal Road are back in operation, the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road continues to remain closed due to fresh landslides. Authorities said that despite heavy rains slowing down work, efforts resumed on September 7 "on a war footing," leading to today's reopening.

The damage across Jammu and Kashmir is extensive, with officials estimating that nearly 12,000 km of roads have been affected by the floods and landslides. Restoration work is still underway in several regions as authorities push to fully restore connectivity.