Drass: Traffic movement on the vital Srinagar-Leh National Highway came to a standstill on Wednesday afternoon after a cloudburst struck the Pandrass area in Drass subdivision of Kargil district, triggering massive landslides.
Officials said that the cloudburst led to the collapse and blockage of a significant portion of the highway, leaving hundreds of commuters including tourists stranded on both sides of the affected stretch.
Speaking to Kashmir Reader, an official from the VIJAK (Vijayak Project), a division of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), confirmed that a large portion of the road has been completely washed out due to the cloudburst-induced landslide. “Men and machinery was immediately mobilised from both sides, and restoration work is underway,” the official stated.
He further added that despite the scale of the damage, the teams are working tirelessly. “We are hopeful to restore the highway by late evening he said.
However local administration and police have also reached the site and are assisting in the clearance operation.