The 32-km Kotranka-Khawas road in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, completed just last year, has been extensively damaged by continuous heavy rainfall and landslides over the past two weeks. The vital link between Kotranka sub-division and Khawas tehsil has been closed for 15 days, leaving residents stranded and daily life severely disrupted.
Students are unable to reach schools, patients struggle to access hospitals, and many villagers have been forced to walk 15 to 20 kilometres to avail essential services. Road restoration has been stalled as ongoing land subsidence continues to pose serious risks.
“The road has been shut for 15 days, and the damage is very severe due to floods. This closure has hit everyone, especially school children and the elderly. No one from the administration has started repairs yet. We request urgent restoration,” said Jatinder Sharma, a resident of Badhal village.
In several stretches, sinking land has worsened the crisis, with at least seven houses badly affected. In one alarming case, a two-storey house shifted nearly 50 metres from its original site while still standing upright, sparking fear among locals.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kotranka, Dilmir Choudhary, said residents from the most affected zones have been evacuated to safer places, with food and essential supplies being delivered. Compensation files for displaced families are under process, and the area is under constant monitoring.
Meanwhile, in Poonch district, around 400 residents of Kalaban village in Mendhar sub-division have been moved to temporary shelters after houses developed cracks from land subsidence caused by relentless rainfall. Authorities, supported by a local NGO, are providing relief material, and the village has been declared unsafe until further notice.
