Inspects Jmu-Sgr highway amid; Visits land subsidence-hit village in Poonch
Kalaban: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday reached out to the people of land subsidence-hit Kalaban border area in Poonch district, and hoped the Centre will extend a good package to the Union Territory on the pattern of the one given to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Abdullah said the administration has been asked to prepare a rehabilitation plan, including the grant of five marlas (one marla = 272.251 sq ft) of land under the existing policy, for the approval of the Cabinet.
“We also maintain communication with the central government, and they have constituted a team which visited different areas of Jammu and Kashmir. We will present our demands in front of them and hope that a good package will be given to Jammu and Kashmir, just as Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand,” Abdullah told reporters here.
During his visit, Abdullah assessed the damage caused by land subsidence in Kalaban village in Mendhar tehsil, near the Line of Control (LoC). Since September 11, over 1,000 people have been affected, with more than 95 houses, a graveyard, and a mosque damaged. Residents have been relocated to safe shelters.
Replying to a question on measures being taken by the government as the village has become unsafe, Abdullah said, “Wherever the land has sunk or is sinking, people cannot be resettled there again. They will need to be resettled somewhere else, at a new location.”
He said the government already has a scheme under which landless people are given five marlas of government land.
“Following the same pattern, we have asked the administration to prepare a proposal, which will be presented to the Cabinet for careful consideration and approval.”
On outreach efforts, he said, “It is our duty in this difficult time to help people as much as possible. This time, the rains have caused unprecedented damage in Jammu and Kashmir due to floods and landslides.”
He further said there is hardly any district in Jammu and Kashmir that has not suffered damage from floods, landslides, or heavy rains.
“Whatever financial resources we have, we will use them to ensure relief reaches the people,” he added.
He also inspected the ongoing road restoration works at the severely damaged Tharad area along the vital Jammu-Srinagar national highway.
This is his second visit to the area amid mounting concerns over hundreds of trucks — including those carrying Kashmiri apples to outside markets and essential supplies like fuel to the Valley — being stranded there.
On Tuesday, Abdullah participated in a high-level virtual meeting chaired by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to review the status of restoration of the highway, which suffered heavy damages during record rainfall on August 26 and 27.
“During his on-spot assessment of the NH-44 restoration work, the chief minister, accompanied by Minister Javed Ahmad Rana, directed the officials concerned to expedite the process, noting that the prolonged closure is severely impacting the supply of essentials, including fresh fruit,” the chief minister’s office said in an X post.
A three-kilometre stretch between Tharad and Balli Nalla in Udhampur district was completely buried under a massive landslide during the rains. Several locations between Jhakani and Nashri, and Peerah and Banihal also suffered extensive damages.
During the inspection, the officials concerned briefed the chief minister about the prevailing conditions and assured that they are doing everything possible to keep the highway open in spite of frequent inclement weather.
Abdullah asked the chief secretary to ensure lane discipline and regulate traffic on the highway to facilitate smooth clearance.
He also met the families whose houses were damaged and assured them proper rehabilitation, an official said.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Abdullah had highlighted the difficulties faced by fruit growers and traders due to prolonged closure of the highway and urged the Union Minister for uninterrupted passage of heavy vehicles.
He said that while blacktopping and maintenance of the road is necessary, it must not come at the cost of prolonged disruption of vital traffic movement.
“Blacktopping can wait for its turn. But large vehicles, especially 4-axle and 5-axle trucks, cannot be diverted through Mughal Road. This is the only route available for them. A huge number of trucks are stranded on the Kashmir side alone, clearing this backlog is crucial,” he said at the meeting.
Abdullah said the fruit season is at its peak and delays in transportation are causing heavy losses to growers and traders.
Gadkari assured the chief minister that his concerns would be addressed, and said the backlog of trucks and other heavy vehicles would be cleared on priority before blacktopping resumes.
