It was a case of travel plans being scuttled on Tuesday in Kishtwar when twin cloudbursts set off flash floods and made 34 spots inaccessible. Even as word comes in that there has been no loss of life or property, the extent of the trouble has meant a hasty, district-wide move to put the key roads back in use.
What happened was a cloudburst on a hillside between Drabshala and Gujjuwa, and the resulting flood put down a lot of debris and cut off some parts of the district. We’ve seen traffic come to a standstill on a few internal roads as teams have gone out to see what they’re up against and begin the cleanup.
Impact at a glance
Pawan Kotwal, the Additional Deputy Commissioner, put it plainly: both were without casualty. He says the administration is on top of how things are developing. The one thing you can count on is that the main highway to Drabshala is open again, which is a must for moving supplies and for any emergency needs.
Some of the local roads took the hit. First word on the ground is that Machhipal, Gaan, the Suru-Sarthal and the Drabshala Zero Point stretch are among those affected, so we’ve had to put in some targeted crews and gear to handle it.
Where the cloudbursts struck
They came down in two places: the Gahan part of Sarthal and over at Machhipal. District men have been out and about to verify this. A Union minister told me he was on the phone with Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma as soon as he heard and could vouch for the two strike points.
One after the other, these events channeled water and muck through tight spots and made of small streams something else. It was too much for the roadside drains and you end up with blockages, particularly on the feeder roads.
Rapid response and restoration
Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister, has put Red Cross, police and revenue people in the field to make sense of the situation. He’s also made sure we have the machinery and hands to fix the connectivity as we can, given the number of road closures we’re looking at.
We’re in talks with the NHIDCL General Manager in Doda to sort out the road from Drabshala to Fatri. Our mobile and field staff are in regular contact with the public as we go around and check on the more exposed areas.
This is what you will see from us:
– Putting in multi-agency teams where they are needed
– Letting traffic back on the Drabshala highway
– Moving in the heavy equipment for the debris
– Working with NHIDCL on the tough stretches
Community advisory and safety steps
The monsoon is in full swing, so we are asking residents to give the rivers and drainage a wide berth. If you see anything, let the control room or your tehsildar know right away so we can act on it.
Our advice to anyone travelling is to hold off on going to the affected side of town until we have done our due diligence and can say the way is safe. Sticking to the rules makes our job of restoring order easier and keeps everyone, including our own people, out of harm’s way.
If you are around here, a few things to keep in mind:
– Make sure the road is clear before you head out
– Have the numbers for the district and control room on hand
– Stay off any spot that is under water or prone to a slide
What comes next
Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma notes that with 34 roads in the district in disarray, we have our work cut out for us. We will be making a point of the priority corridors first, of course, to leave an opening for the emergency services.
It is a comfort that no one has been hurt, but we are not out of the woods yet. We’ll be watching the weather and let that be our guide. The fact that the Drabshala highway is up and running is a good omen as we put the rest of Kishtwar back together.
