Heavy rains triggered landslides that blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Friday, marking the third consecutive day of closure [3].
The disruption of this critical artery halts the movement of essential goods and passengers between the Jammu and Kashmir regions. Because the route serves as a primary lifeline for the territory, prolonged closures create severe logistical bottlenecks and safety risks for travelers.
Traffic officials said that the landslides occurred along the 250 km stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, known as NH-44 [2]. The closures were particularly severe in the Udhampur district and near the Doda bridge, where debris made the road impassable [1, 5].
More than 1,700 trucks are currently stranded along the highway [1]. The backlog of vehicles has created significant congestion as authorities work to clear the landslide debris. Incessant rainfall continues to cause flash floods in the upper reaches of the region, complicating recovery efforts [1, 3].
Beyond commercial traffic, the weather has impacted religious pilgrimages. Authorities said they suspended the Amarnath Yatra on Friday due to the hazardous conditions [4]. The suspension comes as a precaution against further flash floods and landslides that could endanger pilgrims in the high-altitude terrain [3].
Local authorities continue to monitor the weather patterns. The combination of saturated soil and continuous rain has made the steep slopes of the region unstable, increasing the likelihood of further slides along the highway corridor [1, 3].
“More than 1,700 trucks are currently stranded along the highway”
The repeated closure of NH-44 highlights the vulnerability of Jammu and Kashmir's infrastructure to extreme weather events. When the primary link between the winter and summer capitals is severed, it creates an immediate economic ripple effect by delaying supply chains and disrupting critical seasonal events like the Amarnath Yatra.
