Sachnews Jammu Kashmir
PAMPORE, September 05: A portion of the protective wall along the Old National Highway near the Jhelum River at Drangbal area of Saffron Town Pampore has developed cracks, which have also surfaced on the road, triggering concern among residents.
Authorities immediately closed the affected stretch to vehicular traffic as a precautionary measure to ensure public safety.
Following the incident, MLA Pampore, Retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi, along with Additional Deputy Commissioner Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, Tehsildar Pampore Asif Ahmad, SDPO Pampore R.P Singh, SHO Pampore Khalid Fayaz and officers from the Roads and Buildings (R&B) and PDD Department, visited the site to assess the situation.
Masoodi directed officials to prioritize reconstruction of the damaged embankment in order to prevent recurring hardships for the people. He assured that repair and strengthening work on the Jhelum embankments would be taken up at the earliest to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Speaking to Sachnews, Additional Deputy Commissioner Awantipora Mushtaq Ahmad Lone said the administration is fully committed to safeguarding lives and property. He confirmed that traffic movement in the town has been halted after cracks appeared on the road and the adjacent bund.
Authorities have placed razor wire on the affected stretch to prevent vehicular movement. Senior officials remain on the spot, and precautionary measures are being taken to ensure public safety.
Meanwhile, locals of the Saffron Town Pampore have appealed to the administration to construct strong embankments not only along the Jhelum but also on both sides of the highway to protect the town from frequent flood-related challenges.
Speaking to Sachnews, MLA Pampore, Retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi, said that when he received the information about cracks developing in the retaining wall near the Jhelum along the old National Highway at Drangbal Pampore, he immediately visited the site along with a team of officials, including engineers.
He stated that this road is still an important route, and since the incident has caused difficulties for the people of Pampore, he directed the engineers to prepare short-term measures and submit a proposal the same day. He added that he would convey the matter to the Deputy Chief Minister and other concerned officials so that the issue is resolved promptly and traffic movement on the road is restored.
He said that the biggest issue in Pampore is the Jhelum River embankments, where problems keep recurring, yet the Flood Control Department is nowhere to be seen. Rainwater from different areas accumulates here before flowing into the Jhelum, but no department is taking responsibility—neither the Flood Control Department, nor the Irrigation Department, nor the R&B.
He added that he will raise this issue further because whenever flood-like situations occur here, there is no visibility of the Flood Control Department. It was the youth of Pampore themselves who voluntarily made all the arrangements.
The only long-term solution is to properly construct and raise the embankments from Joinery Mill to Khankahbagh and from Char Yaar Masjid to Litterbal, so that the recurring problems of Pampore residents are permanently resolved. He further said that no lessons have been learned so far—even in 2014 when floods struck, breaches happened at the same spots where breaches are occurring again today.
Speaking to Sachnews, a local resident Bashir Ahmad Shah said that since 2014 they have been demanding that the Jhelum embankment in Pampore be repaired and raised. On behalf of the people of Pampore, he requested LG Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and other concerned officials to pay attention to this issue.
He added that whenever floods occur, the people of Pampore face immense difficulties, and despite Pampore being world-famous as the Saffron Town, residents continue to suffer.
Since 2014, we have been repeatedly saying that the Jhelum embankments should be repaired. These embankments, which were constructed decades ago, have now been badly damaged. They must be repaired immediately so that our hardships are resolved.
Whenever there is a forecast of rain, the people of Pampore live in fear that floods may occur. Therefore, the cracks that have appeared in the wall today should also be repaired without delay, he said.
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
