The recently constructed 32-km Kotranka-Khawas road in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district has suffered extensive damage due to persistent heavy rains and landslides over the past two weeks. The road, completed in 2023-24, is a crucial link between Kotranka sub-division and Khawas tehsil, but has remained completely closed for the past 15 days, leaving local residents distressed.
The road closure has disrupted daily life, with students unable to reach schools and patients struggling to access medical care. Locals say many villagers are being forced to walk 15 to 20 kilometres on foot to avail essential services. Road restoration work has been put on hold due to ongoing land subsidence, which continues to pose serious risks.
“For the past 15 days, the road has been closed. The damage is severe due to floods. This road also connects several other routes, so the closure is affecting everyone, especially the elderly and school children. No one from the administration has come to repair it yet. We request the authorities to restore the road at the earliest,” said Jatinder Sharma, a resident of Badhal village in Rajouri.
In certain sections, land sinking has worsened the crisis, leaving large areas vulnerable. At least seven houses have been severely impacted, with one two-story house shifting nearly 50 metres from its original site while remaining upright — a situation that has caused panic among residents.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kotranka, Dilmir Choudhary, said residents from the worst-affected areas have been evacuated to safer locations. The local administration is supplying food and essential items, while relief and compensation efforts are underway. “Compensation files for the affected families are being processed and will be finalised soon. The region is under constant surveillance for any further emergencies,” the ADC said.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Poonch district, nearly 400 residents of Kalaban village in Mendhar sub-division have been shifted to temporary shelters after several houses developed cracks due to land subsidence caused by continuous rainfall. Authorities, with the assistance of a local NGO, are providing relief materials and essential supplies. The administration has declared Kalaban unsafe and directed residents to stay away until further notice.
(ANI)