Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Mohammad Alyas Khan, today conducted an on-the-spot inspection of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) from Ramban to Banihal to assess the impact of continuous heavy rainfall over the past two days and review the ongoing restoration works.
He also reviewed the progress of restoration works on internal link roads across the district. The Deputy Commissioner was accompanied by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban Arun Gupta, SSP Traffic NHW Raja Adil Hamid, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Banihal Mohammed Naseeb Bajraan, besides other senior officers of the civil and police administration.
During the inspection, the Deputy Commissioner reviewed the clearance operations being carried out by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at vulnerable locations affected by landslides and shooting stones. While the highway has largely been cleared, traffic continues to remain suspended as a precautionary measure due to the persistent risk of shooting stones at vulnerable stretches.
The Deputy Commissioner directed all concerned departments to maintain close coordination and ensure that vehicular traffic is allowed only after the Traffic Department issues the necessary clearance and travel advisory. He appealed to the public to strictly follow all advisories issued by the Police and Traffic authorities through official communication channels and advised commuters to avoid non-essential travel on the National Highway until weather conditions improve and official clearance is issued.
In view of the continuous rainfall and the rise in the water level of the Chenab River, local nallahs and streams, the Deputy Commissioner directed the concerned departments to intensify public awareness measures and ensure that people are prevented from venturing near water bodies.
He appealed to the public to stay away from rivers, nallahs and other vulnerable areas to avoid any untoward incident. Reviewing the status of link roads, the Deputy Commissioner directed the Public Works Department (PWD), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to further intensify restoration works by deploying adequate manpower and machinery to ensure the early reopening of all blocked roads.
He stressed that all affected roads should be restored on priority to minimise inconvenience to the public. The Deputy Commissioner reiterated that the safety of the public remains the foremost priority of the District Administration and directed all concerned agencies to remain on high alert, continuously monitor vulnerable locations, and respond promptly to any emergency arising due to adverse weather conditions. He also advised citizens to strictly adhere to official traffic advisories and avoid venturing near swollen water bodies until the situation normalises.