Newlyweds, families trek through landslide-hit Jammu-Srinagar NH

Hundreds of people, including several wedding processions, were seen trekking through landslide-hit areas of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH) after traffic came to a standstill in Ramban district.

Heavy rains over the past two days triggered flashfloods and landslides, causing severe damage to the NH, particularly in Ramban, where portions of the road have been swept away. Authorities from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other agencies are working on repairs, but full restoration is expected to take days.

Amid the disruption, wedding processions could be seen making their way across the battered highway. Nazir Ahmed, a groom returning to Ramban with his bride from Chenani (in Udhampur), described his ordeal: “I had gone to Chenani to get married and was on my way back when we learnt that the road had been severely damaged. While the young people can walk their way even during such circumstances, the situation for elderly and patients is not good,” he said.

Men, women and children, carrying luggage, were seen carefully navigating the muck and slush from the mountains that had engulfed stretches of the highway.

Hashkoor Ahmed, another groom from Ramban, said he walked at least seven to eight kilometre to reach his bride. “I urge the authorities to speed up the work on road restoration so that people do not face problems,” he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Srinagar-bound workers from various parts of the country remain stranded at bus stands in Jammu city as bus services have been suspended.

Sushil Kumar, a worker from Bihar engaged in a road construction project in Kashmir, said, “I did not know that the road to the Valley was damaged, else I would have stayed in Bihar. I have come along with other workers to Jammu to proceed further. However, now we are told that the road will take days to be restored,” he said.