Fruit truckers say losses mounting
50,000 souls in Dudu face ration crisis
Gopal Sharma/Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Sept 10: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway which remained closed for nine days was reopened for vehicular traffic today, while a population of over 50,000 souls in Tehsil Latti and Dudu Sub Division of district Udhampur is facing severe ration crisis as no ration was dropped in the area by helicopters till date.
Reports said a fresh landslide near Bup village, about 6 kms from Mantalai extensively damaged about 150 mts stretch of the Chenani-Latti-Dudu road besides two residential houses last mid night. The families, however, escaped to the safety.
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The local Sarpanchs said the concerned MLA and the District Administration were informed about the matter in the morning and sought immediate clearance of the road but till late evening, no JCB or any machine was deployed to the site for road clearance. They were also informed about ration crisis and sought air-dropping of the Atta.
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Meanwhile, the 270-kilometre highway, which is the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, had remained closed since August 26 due to multiple blockages caused by heavy rains, flashfloods and landslides. It was briefly reopened on August 30, but closed again. In total, the highway had remained blocked for 14 days.
The Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag road was also reopened on Wednesday, an official said.
“Works were affected by heavy intermittent rains. After resuming work on a war-footing from September 7, a 300-meter diversion road was constructed, and today traffic has been restored on the highway,” an official of the NHAI said.
The vehicular movement is going on smoothly after the reopening of the highway, he added.
On September 2, a massive landslide measuring about 550 x 300 metres struck the highway at Thrad near Jakheni in Udhampur, burying the road under heavy debris, the NHAI official said.
“From the very night of the incident, NHAI officials and hundreds of workers laboured tirelessly through rains, mud and repeated disruptions to clear the highway. Despite challenges, the team stayed on the ground 24×7 and restored it,” he added..
The official added that it is the most difficult stretch as the highway had to be rebuilt in the wake of a massive landslide.
Officials said authorities are trying to clear the highway of stranded vehicles, particularly those carrying essential supplies to Kashmir valley, Doda and Kishtwar districts. They said initially at about 10.30 am light motor vehicles were allowed to move but in the afternoon heavy vehicles were also allowed. The road is single at this stretch and one way traffic is being allowed, officials said.
The pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine also remained suspended for the 16th consecutive day on Wednesday.
Traffic on the inter-regional Mughal Road, which connects Jammu region’s Poonch and Rajouri districts with Kashmir’s Shopian district, is moving smoothly.
The closure of highways and other inter-regional roads to Kashmir resulted in over 5000 vehicles getting stranded at various places in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban, the Kashmir Valley, and Punjab, officials said.
Meanwhile, stranded truckers expressed anguish over mounting losses due to the prolonged closure.Showkat Ahmad, a trucker from Udhampur, said he had been stranded for 15 days with a load of fruit and had been struggling to manage rations.
“All my fruit has rotted. We ran out of rations days ago and survived only because people helped us. Around 500 trucks carrying fruit are stuck here. This is the first time I’ve faced such a situation,” he said.
Karan Singh, another trucker, said the administration had failed to address the crisis.
“We have been literally destroyed. There is no help from the authorities. The fruit we are carrying has rotted-what are we going to deliver at our destinations?” he asked and said the spoiled produce had to be thrown away.
He noted that arranging food had also been a struggle. “We carry ration as per calculations; it is over now and we are solely relying on help,” he said.
Adil Ahmad, a trucker from Shopian, said many drivers were on the verge of financial collapse.
“The goods have deteriorated. We have truck installments to pay, and the traders won’t understand our losses. It is becoming impossible for us to manage,” he said.
Officials said the highway is likely to be thrown open for regular traffic, beginning with LMVs, followed by HMVs, once the final clearance is given. “The condition of the road is bad, if everything goes well, the traffic will resume soon.”
Meanwhile, at Parimpora Fruit Mandi in Srinagar, traders said they are staring at potential losses of nearly Rs 600 crore due to the prolonged closure. With HMVs still off the road, large stacks of fruit boxes have piled up at the mandi.
Several trucks that were stranded for days have returned carrying loads of rotten fruit.
Zubair Ahmad, a trader, said the situation has been grim since August 26.
“Trucks have been stuck at Qazigund, and the fruit that came back is rotten. Disposing of it also costs us money,” he said.
Bashir Ahmad Bashir, Chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union, said the scale of losses was unbearable. “These losses are beyond what we can sustain,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has restored two vital roads damaged in the recent floods and cloudbursts in the Jammu region, an official said.
The roads restored were the Gulabgarh-Chashoti road in Kishtwar district and the Purna Bahadur-Thandi Kassi road along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri- both lifelines for thousands of people, as well as army units stationed in the area.
The 118 Road Construction Company (RCC), led by Major Jivitesh Rajora, restored the critical Gulabgarh-Chashoti road after it was severed by torrential rains and landslides during August 26-27, a Defence spokesperson said.
The BRO team took 13 days to clear a 14-km stretch of debris from the Chashoti side.
An official said the initial days were extremely dangerous due to the risk of more landslides.
The Purna Bahadur-Thandi Kassi road, another critical route connecting villages and army posts along the LoC, was severely damaged by the heavy rains.
“The 58 RCC, under Project Sampark Chief Engineer Brig R K Mishra, swiftly constructed a 70-meter diversion, restoring uninterrupted traffic flow within a short time,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, people from Latti and Dudu Sub Division in a letter flashed to the Union Minister in PMO, Dr Jatinder Singh, who happens to be the local MP, has sought his intervention for the starvation the people facing in this belt and restoration of road.
“We are writing to bring to your attention the dire situation in Latti tehsil, The public is facing an acute shortage of essential supplies, including ration, electricity, gas cylinders, blankets, and tarpaulins. The situation has been further exacerbated by a massive landslide at Bup, which washed out the road and disrupted road connectivity last night. We request your intervention in addressing these issues and providing necessary action to alleviate the suffering of the people. Your prompt attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated,” the locals pleaded.
The local Sarpanchs from Dudu, Latti and Marothi told the Excelsior that about 150 mts of road has been damaged at Bupp village due to land slides last night. Due to another major slide near Latti Pul, a High Dchool building, three houses and bridge has been damaged. Entire area has been cut off from the district headquarters. Despite request to the District Administration, concerned MLA and even the Divisional Commissioner, no air dopping of the ration could be ensured till date to this area having 18 Panchayats and no steps have been taken to open this road and raise temporary bridge.
Meanwhile, SDM Mendhar, Imran Kataria said that no more houses have been damaged at Kalaban where land is sinking. He said rescue and relief work is going on at the site. SDRF and police is helping locals to take out their belongings from their damaged houses. He said the road from Sakhi Maidan- Pathna Teer, Sheen Darra and Kalai has been closed due to damage caused with the sinking of land and other land slides.
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