View of a bridge, which connects Uri to Baramulla, damaged due to heavy rains. (Press Trust of India)
The floods in Jammu and Kashmir have taken a huge toll on the state's roads. One-third of the road network in Jammu has taken a hit. Four bridges have been totally damaged. And once the weather clears up and water recedes, it will take at least a week to restore connectivity, say officials of the Border Roads Organisation, or BRO. (Also:
Jammu and Kashmir Floods: Home Ministry Control Room Helpline)
"We covered 3000 km roads, of which about 900 km had suffered damage," B Bhattacharya, chief engineer of BRO, told NDTV. "Our priority area has been Akhnoor, Rajouri and Poonch."
Connectivity is becoming a key concern in the flood-hit state, where over 350 villages have been completely submerged. Calling the floods a national calamity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a visit to the state today, said, "Communication and power should be restored."
For the last 92 hours, the engineers of the BRO have been at work. "By 3 pm, we had restored connectivity of Poonch through a link road," said Bhattacharya.
But the BRO will soon have some help. The army has been called in to restore lifeline like bridges and roads, the Prime Minister said. The work will start once the relief operations are over.
Nearly 120 people have died in Jammu and Kashmir, which is witnessing its worst flood in 50 years. Lakhs of people over 10 districts have been hit.