Vaishnodevi Yatra remains suspended for 3rd day

Jammu, Aug 28: Pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishnodevi shrine remained suspended for the third straight day on Thursday following the landslide incident, which claimed 34 lives and rendered 20 others injured.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) authorities maintained that the Yatra would remain suspended till further orders. “Inclement weather conditions still persist, so the decision to continue to suspend Yatra has been taken keeping in view the safety of pilgrims,” they stated.

Though rescue operations were almost wound up, the exercise to clear the debris and restore the entire Yatra track for safe pilgrimage was still underway.

However, the suspension of the yatra had made thousands of pilgrims stranded at Katra and enroute shrine. In a related development, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti held a protest demonstration against the Board and demanded that responsibility should be fixed for the loss of lives in the landslide tragedy.

Amid disrupted train and road traffic movement following heavy rains-induced flash floods and landslides across Jammu division in the past three days, there was a chaos like situation prevailing at Katra. Though the Jammu railway division did operate two special trains to clear the rush, they remained inadequate.

The board, along with the administration, made elaborate arrangements to facilitate stranded pilgrims, yet many of them did not mince words in airing their dissatisfaction with the arrangements.

Arun from Sultanpur, UP, while speaking to the media, stated that they were told that the train would be available from Jammu.

“Now we have learnt that the Railways are operating special trains, but they are inadequate to clear the rush. They (administration) do not have robust disaster management in place. They should have suspended Yatra immediately after the alert,” he said.

In a heartening gesture, Katra hotels and restaurants announced free accommodation and food for the stranded pilgrims.

Meanwhile, in a fresh incident, sinking of land was reported near Government High School Kaldi in Kersial village in Udhampur district. Police, SDRF teams immediately reached the spot and helped families in the affected area to relocate to safer places

In Jammu, multiple key roads that were severely damaged continued to remain closed for vehicular movement, causing significant traffic disruptions.

The closed routes included Atal Chowk, Panjtirthi Sidhra bridge; Manda (near Raj Bhawan)- TCP Nagrota and Major Somnath Chowk (4th Tawi Bridge) (Bhagwati Nagar) Baba Banda Bahadur Chowk.

Traffic Police, in this connection, asked the people to use alternative routes. Vehicles moving on NH-44 for Udhampur, Reasi, and Katra have been asked to take the Narwal Bypass Road while keeping in mind the road diversions due to Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway works.

Vehicles moving towards Bikram Chowk via Satwari have been asked to take the Beli Cherana route via Major Som Nath Chowk (4th Tawi Bridge). However, no movement from Asia Crossing to Satwari is allowed via Major Som Nath Chowk as the restoration works were still on.

Deputy Commissioner Jammu Rakesh Minhas toured the flood-affected areas of Jammu city and reviewed the ongoing relief and restoration measures.

He visited Greater Kailash, Jogi Gate, and Gujjar Nagar areas to assess the situation and interact with residents. At Greater Kailash, Minhas inspected the power receiving station, which had suffered extensive damage due to floods. He directed the immediate restoration of the power supply and addressed several other concerns raised by the people. He assured that long-term flood protection measures would be taken up on priority.

“The removal of muck and debris from houses is being taken up on priority,” the Deputy Commissioner said while interacting at Jogi Gate. For removal for muck and debris, the administration put 40 JCBs in service, and Tehildars and BDOs were coordinating.

“Power supply has been restored in Jammu city except Greater Kailash, which will be restored by evening. Water supply is being restored in a phased manner. It will be back to normal by tomorrow,” he said.

Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Commissioner Devansh Yadav also took stock of the situation in key affected locations, including Rajendra Nagar, Canal Head, Peer Kho temple area, Rajiv Nagar, University area, and Gujjar Nagar along the Tawi embankments.

After listening to locals’ woes, he gave a deadline of 48 hours to the concerned officers and field teams to complete the cleaning and restoration operations.

While speaking to media persons, he said that JMC had increased its manpower and machinery, including earthmovers, suction machines, and dumpers. “We have mobilized dedicated sanitation workers to clear debris, unclog drains, and restore basic amenities. Eater tankers have been pressed into service with particular focus on localities where water supply could not be restored.

The distraught people in Peer Kho and adjoining areas in Jammu city, even on the third day, remained busy in clearing the muck and searching for their belongings, if any were left in the wreckage, wreaked by heavy rains on August 26. The areas, like elsewhere in affected districts across the division, presented a spectre of devastation, leaving behind many families staring at a bleak future.

Amidst the flood crisis, IGP Jammu, along with DIG JSK Range and SSP Samba, inspected stretches around Sahar Khad and monitored rescue efforts on the ground. Later, at DPL Kathua, he chaired a high-level review to ensure timely relief, restore connectivity, and strengthen response mechanisms.

In a separate operation, the BSF helicopter evacuated 16 critical patients, including 13 locals from the inaccessible, flood-hit terrain of Pargwal, district Jammu, to the BSF Paloura camp, Jammu.

“The patients, including pregnancy, dialysis, and burn injury cases, were shifted to Civil Hospitals. BSF remains committed to standing by the nation in times of need,” a BSF spokesperson said.

Notably, one of the BSF soldiers also lost his life in the operational deployment at the Border Out Post at Pargwal in Akhnoor, badly affected by floods. BSF soldier, identified as Rajib Nunia, was brought to GMC Jammu for a post-mortem. Army’s Rising Star Corps for rescue operations in flood-hit Jammu, Samba, Kathua, besides a few areas of Punjab, deployed 20 columns.

“The Corps rescued over 940 persons, including 50 children from an orphanage in R S Pura, 56 BSF and 21 CRPF personnel besides assisting in provisioning of essential supplies and medicines and swiftly restoring vital data connectivity in Jammu,” an army spokesperson said.

Bolstering the flood relief efforts on the ground, GOC Rising Star Corps interacted with troops and Army Aviation, commending their relentless commitment on the ground, he said.

Indian Air Force also pressed its copters in relief and rescue operations and rescued 206 persons in the last two days besides delivering 500 kgs of essentials and 6750 kgs of relief materials in affected areas.

The water level in the Chenab River, too, had come down below the alert level of 32 feet. Everywhere in Jammu, the water level of streams and rivers is flowing below the alert level, except for the Ravi in Kathua district

Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh also shared a positive update on the weather through his post on social media.

“Here is a reassuring report from the IMD (India Meteorological Department). Yesterday’s severe weather conditions have improved today over Jammu & Kashmir. The “Red Colour” warning has been downgraded to “Yellow Colour” for today and tomorrow. Only isolated heavy rainfall (one or two places) (7 to 11 cm in 24 hrs period) is expected over the areas of Jammu, Udhampur, and Doda for today and tomorrow. The weather conditions will improve further on 29th August over Jammu & Kashmir,” the Union Minister posted.

As water supply to many areas across Jammu division could not be restored due to extensive damage to Jal Shakti (PHE) department infrastructure and disruption in power supply, Chief Engineer Jal Shakti Jammu Mohammad Hanief asked the people to use water judiciously.

“Water supply in some areas is likely to remain disrupted till the restoration work is completed. The public is requested to use water judiciously and restrict usage to drinking purposes only. Restoration efforts are underway, and normal supply will be resumed at the earliest,” he said.