Srinagar, April 21: With the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remaining closed for the third consecutive day, thousands of passengers continue to face hardships as over 3,000 vehicles remain stranded at various locations along the route.
In response to the growing crisis, several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals have stepped forward to provide essential food and supplies to the stranded commuters, particularly in the Ramban area, which has been hit the hardest.
“People are facing immense difficulties due to a shortage of food. The situation is especially concerning for those stranded near Ramban. We decided to provide some relief to commuters,” Irshad Ahmad, a volunteer affiliated with a local NGO, told news agency KINS.
Another volunteer, Mehraj, who travelled from Banihal with a group of friends to distribute food packets, said, “We couldn’t just sit at home watching people suffer. We pooled in money, cooked meals, and brought water bottles and snacks for as many people as we could reach.”
Passengers, meanwhile, expressed their gratitude while also urging the government to step up efforts. “We have been stuck here for over 48 hours. It’s cold, and we don’t even have basic food or water. Had it not been for these volunteers, we don’t know what we would have done,” said Zahoor Ahmed, a truck driver from Baramulla.
A stranded tourist, Meenakshi from Rajasthan, said, “We had no idea the situation would be this bad. There are children and elderly people here. The kindness shown by these NGOs has been heartwarming, but the administration must also intervene quickly.”
Traffic officials said the highway closure was due to continuous landslides triggered by heavy rains in the region. “Restoration work is underway, but intermittent weather disruptions are hampering progress,” said a senior traffic police official. (KINS)
