Floods and landslides in Jammu and Kashmir have damaged approximately 12,000 km of the region's 42,000 km road network, including sections of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, officials reported. This extensive damage was highlighted during a review meeting led by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Monday, where Principal Secretary of the Public Works Department, Anil Kumar Singh, provided details on the affected infrastructure.

Restoration efforts are progressing rapidly on the Udhampur-Ramban stretch, with officials expecting it to reopen by evening, while the Dhar-Udhampur section will operate one-way from Tuesday. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) reported that out of 105 bridges on the highway, three were damaged but have now been repaired. Additionally, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has restored several roads, such as Rajouri-Thannamandi and Surankote, though some, like Budhal-Mahore-Gul, remain blocked and are slated for completion within a week.

Choudhary expressed concern over the collapse of the Seri-Kath Bridge, despite its recent construction, and directed NHAI to investigate the incident. He ordered a structural audit of all bridges to address vulnerabilities in the region's fragile terrain.

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Emphasising urgency, the Deputy Chief Minister instructed departments to coordinate with agencies for swift restoration and hold negligent contractors accountable, ensuring all targets are met on time.

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