Jammu, August 27: In the wake of heavy monsoon rains and widespread flooding in Jammu, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday conducted an extensive tour of the affected areas to assess the damage and oversee relief and recovery operations.
Accompanied by Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs & Transport Satish Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary to CM Dheeraj Gupta, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, IGP Jammu Zone Bhim Sen Tuti, DC Jammu Dr. Rakesh Minhas, and other senior officials, the Chief Minister reviewed the situation on the ground and directed authorities to take urgent and coordinated measures to safeguard lives and property in vulnerable zones.
The CM inspected key flood-affected locations including Fourth Tawi Bridge (Bhagwati Nagar), Science College (Old Campus), Hari Singh Park, and parts of Gujjar Nagar, issuing specific instructions for damage assessment and urgent repairs. He noted that the damaged end of the Fourth Tawi Bridge, which had also suffered during the 2014 floods, requires immediate technical evaluation and long-term preventive action.
The Chief Minister said he had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the evolving flood situation in Jammu. “I shared details of the most severely affected areas along the Tawi River. The Prime Minister has assured full support from the Government of India,” Omar Abdullah said, thanking him for the commitment to extend continued assistance to J&K.
Expressing deep sorrow over the recent landslide at Katra, which claimed several lives during the Vaishno Devi Yatra, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for proactive safety protocols. “Advance weather warnings were available. Preventive measures to halt pilgrim movement should have been enforced,” he said, extending condolences to the bereaved families.
The CM directed BSNL, Jio, and Airtel to restore internet and telecom services on war footing, stressing the critical importance of communication during disasters. “Service disruptions have impacted rescue coordination and daily life across J&K. These must be restored immediately,” he said.
He also instructed concerned departments to expedite the restoration of electricity, water supply, and road connectivity in all affected districts, and asked officials to ensure that traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu and Jammu-Pathankot Highways is resumed as a priority.
Omar Abdullah assured residents that a comprehensive relief package for flood-affected people of Jammu and Kashmir would be formulated shortly. He urged line departments to work round-the-clock to restore normalcy and meet the urgent needs of displaced and affected citizens.
During his visit, the Chief Minister interacted with residents, assessed local damages, and visited temporary shelters to check relief arrangements. He emphasized prompt disbursal of aid, effective shelter management, and transparent coordination between departments for sustained recovery efforts.
