Lieutenant General Raghu Srinivasan, Director General of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), embarked on a three-day visit to flood-ravaged areas of Jammu to assess the extensive damage inflicted on critical road infrastructure by relentless heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides. The deluge, spanning nine consecutive days, has severely disrupted connectivity across the region, damaging dozens of roads and bridges, including the vital national highway linking Jammu with Kashmir.

On Wednesday, Lt Gen Srinivasan conducted inspections in areas under Project Sampark, a key BRO initiative responsible for maintaining strategic road networks in the region. A BRO spokesperson stated that the Director General reviewed the extent of the destruction and issued directives to ground teams and commanding officers to accelerate restoration efforts.

The goal is to restore surface connectivity at the earliest, ensuring access to affected areas and facilitating relief operations. The floods have wreaked havoc in Jammu, claiming over 120 lives and causing widespread destruction to hundreds of residential homes, agricultural fields, and critical infrastructure, including power and water supply systems.

Concurrently, in Srinagar, a fresh crisis emerged as the Jhelum River overflowed, breaching its banks at Shalina in the Budgam district, leading to severe flooding in several areas. In response, the District Administration Srinagar issued an urgent advisory, calling for the immediate evacuation of residents from vulnerable low-lying areas, including Lasjan, Soiteng, Nowgam, Vyethpora, Golpora, Padshahibagh, and Mehjoornagar. "As a preemptive and precautionary measure, residents are advised to evacuate and move to safer locations," an official spokesperson said.

To support those displaced, the administration has established relief centres equipped to provide shelter, food, and essential supplies. Nodal officers from the district administration and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) have been appointed to oversee operations at these centres and ensure assistance reaches those in need. Local committees, mosques, revenue authorities, and police have been mobilised to make public announcements, urging residents to comply with the evacuation advisory promptly.

While flood concerns have slightly alleviated in parts of the Kashmir Valley downstream of the Jhelum, with water levels beginning to recede from 6:00 AM on Thursday, the situation remains precarious. The river continues to flow above the danger mark at critical monitoring points, including Sangam in south Kashmir and Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar, prompting authorities to maintain heightened vigilance.

The combined impact of the floods across Jammu and Kashmir has underscored the urgent need for coordinated relief and restoration efforts to mitigate further loss of life and property.

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