Jammu-Srinagar, Srinagar-Leh Highways Closed Due to Landslides and Snowfall

Heavy overnight rains in the plains and fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir triggered multiple landslides on Tuesday, leading to the closure of key national highways and alternative routes connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country. Officials from the traffic and meteorological departments reported disruptions on the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the 434-km Srinagar-Leh Highway, Mughal Road, and Sinthan Top, stranding hundreds of vehicles and halting essential movement. This latest weather event, part of an active western disturbance affecting northwest India since early October, has compounded recovery efforts from August's record monsoons, which caused widespread flooding and infrastructure damage across the Union Territory.

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the Valley's sole all-weather lifeline, was sealed early morning due to shooting stones and debris at several points between Udhampur and Banihal, including the notorious Ramsu and Ramban stretches. Traffic, already operating on a one-way alternating schedule from Jammu to Srinagar during the daytime for ongoing repairs, ground to a halt at Nagrota in Jammu. Road clearance teams, equipped with earthmovers and manual labourers, were deployed immediately, with authorities optimistic about partial restoration by late afternoon. The Srinagar-Leh Highway faced similar woes from snow buildup, with Zojila Pass recording six inches of accumulation, while Mughal Road's Peer Ki Gali and Sinthan Top in Kishtwar saw three to four inches, isolating border districts like Poonch, Rajouri, and Shopian. Travel advisories urged residents to avoid these routes until full clearance, emphasising safety amid risks of further slides.

The inclement weather spared no sector: pilgrimages to the sacred Vaishno Devi temple in Reasi's Trikuta Hills and the remote Machail Mata shrine in Kishtwar remained suspended for the third consecutive day, stranding thousands of devotees and impacting the Rs 500 crore annual tourism economy tied to these sites. All government and private schools across the Jammu division stayed shuttered for the second day, prioritising student safety as mercury levels plummeted. Rainfall data underscored the intensity: Udhampur logged 100.2 mm in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 a.m., followed by 98.2 mm in Batote, 75.8 mm in Banihal, 44 mm in Katra (Vaishno Devi base), and 38.6 mm in Jammu city. Jammu's maximum temperature dipped to 21.3°C—11.1°C below normal—while the minimum fell to 15°C, a six-degree drop, prompting warnings for cold wave-like conditions in elevated areas like Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts a gradual improvement starting Wednesday, with dry weather expected for the next two weeks, allowing for accelerated restoration. This respite is crucial as the region, still reeling from summer floods that claimed over 50 lives and damaged 1,000 km of roads, braces for winter's onset. In a statement, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed swift relief measures, including power backups and medical aid for stranded travellers. As clearance operations intensify, the episode highlights the fragility of Himalayan infrastructure against climate variability, with calls for enhanced early warning systems and resilient engineering to safeguard connectivity in this strategic border state.

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