Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a high-level meeting to review restoration efforts on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) and other major roads damaged by recent heavy rains.
The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister NasirAslamWani, Chief Secretary AtalDulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretaries of Home and Public Works (R&B), Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Commissioners, and senior officers from BRO, NHIDCL, NHAI, J&K Police, and other relevant departments.
The Chief Minister instructed authorities to expedite road restoration, ensuring smooth traffic flow and uninterrupted supply of essential goods, especially to the Kashmir Valley and remote areas of Jammu division. He emphasized the importance of close inter-departmental coordination and timely updates to address public needs efficiently.
Chief Secretary AtalDulloo briefed the meeting on the condition of NH-44, stressing its restoration as the highest priority, given its role as the lifeline connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country. He highlighted the urgent need to facilitate the movement of perishable commodities, such as fruit, from the Valley, and pointed out the severe conditions in areas like Kishtwar and Udhampur, which are facing power, water, and connectivity outages.
Dulloo also underlined the necessity for temporary restoration of routes like Dhar–Mahanpur, Ramban–Gool, and Reasi–Mahore to reconnect affected districts.
The Chief Minister inquired about the availability of essential supplies—such as ration, fuel, and medicines—in cut-off regions like Bani, Kishtwar, Reasi, and Udhampur. He directed officers to replenish supplies via alternate routes, including Anantnag for Kishtwar and Bhaderwah for Bani, until full road restoration is completed.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu briefed the meeting on ongoing restoration works on NH-44, resumption of supplies into the Valley, and the operation of special trains to assist passengers and tourists. He assured that there are no shortages of essentials in Jammu, and efforts are being made to keep cut-off areas adequately stocked.
Similarly, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir confirmed that the Valley has sufficient stocks of fuel and ration.
The Chief Minister also directed that all disconnected roads under BRO, NHAI, NHIDCL, and other agencies be closely monitored, with status reports shared with his office twice daily.
