Srinagar: Highway Paralysed for Three Days as Rain Toll Hits 23, Cop Killed in Anantnag
A punishing stretch of monsoon rain has paralysed road access to Srinagar for three consecutive days, with fresh landslides blocking the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and driving the regional death toll from rain-related incidents to 23. The crisis has been compounded by a terror attack in Anantnag that claimed the life of a policeman, prompting security forces to detain more than 2,000 people across Jammu and Kashmir.
Highway Shut Again, Death Toll Reaches 23
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed for the third consecutive day on July 25 as heavy monsoon rainfall continued to trigger landslides at multiple points along the crucial artery connecting the Valley to the rest of India. Authorities confirmed that the death toll from rain-related incidents across Jammu and Kashmir had climbed to 23, underscoring the severity of the ongoing weather emergency. The closure has left thousands of travellers stranded at both ends of the highway, with vehicles queued for kilometres outside Jammu and near Banihal. Rescue and road-clearance teams from the Border Roads Organisation and the National Highways Authority of India were deployed but faced repeated setbacks as fresh slides continued to come down through the night. Residents of Srinagar city dependent on road-borne supplies of fuel, vegetables and essential goods were already beginning to feel the pressure of the disruption, with traders reporting limited stock arriving by air or alternative routes. Officials urged travellers not to attempt the journey until an all-clear was issued. [8]
Jhelum on Alert as River Rises Steadily
A flood alert was sounded across Kashmir on July 24 after the Jhelum river began rising steadily in response to days of sustained monsoon rainfall across its upstream catchment areas. The Irrigation and Flood Control Department issued warnings to low-lying communities along the Jhelum's banks, particularly in areas historically vulnerable to inundation, urging residents to move valuables to higher ground and remain in contact with district administration helplines. The alert was issued even as weather conditions began to show modest improvement, with forecasters indicating that the worst of the rain band had started to move east. However, officials cautioned that river levels can take 24 to 48 hours to respond to upstream rainfall, meaning peak flows were still expected. In Srinagar city, the river remained well within alert markers at the time of the announcement, but downstream districts were placed on heightened watch. Authorities were coordinating with the National Disaster Response Force and Army units stationed near sensitive flood zones. [3]
🗳️ Traffic Advisory Issued for Srinagar-Jammu Commuters
The Traffic Police of Jammu and Kashmir issued a detailed advisory for commuters attempting to travel between Srinagar and Jammu amid the ongoing highway disruptions. The advisory warned that the national highway was experiencing complete blockade at several points due to landslide debris and cautioned against unauthorised attempts to pass through restricted zones. Officials indicated that only essential vehicles carrying medical supplies and relief material would be permitted movement on a convoy basis when conditions allowed brief windows of relative stability. Travellers were advised to check real-time updates through the Traffic Police helpline and official social-media handles before beginning any journey. The advisory also noted that alternate routes through Mughal Road and the Sinthan Pass were subject to their own weather-related restrictions and should not be assumed passable without prior confirmation. For those already mid-route and stranded at designated rest areas, food and shelter arrangements were said to be in place at identified halting points managed by district administrations on both sides of the highway. [4]
Cop Killed in Anantnag Attack, 2,000-Plus Detained
A police officer was killed in a terror attack in Anantnag district, prompting security forces to launch a wide-scale crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir. More than 2,000 individuals were detained in cordon-and-search operations that swept through multiple districts following the attack, as authorities worked to gather intelligence and prevent follow-up incidents. The killing was the latest in a series of security incidents in the Valley and drew immediate condemnations from political leaders across the spectrum. Security was reinforced at sensitive installations, and additional checkpoints were set up on key arterial roads in both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions. The attack came at a particularly difficult moment, with the region already stretched thin by the ongoing monsoon emergency requiring large-scale deployment of civil and para-military resources. Senior police officials convened an emergency review and indicated that leads were being pursued to identify and neutralise those responsible. Residents in Anantnag described a tense atmosphere in the hours following the incident, with markets shutting early and movement restricted in several neighbourhoods. [2]
🪔 Amarnath Yatra Set to Resume After Six-Day Suspension
Officials confirmed on July 24 that the Amarnath Yatra would resume the following day after being suspended for six consecutive days due to adverse weather conditions and the deteriorating security situation across Jammu and Kashmir. Pilgrims were to be allowed to depart from the Bagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu and proceed exclusively via the Baltal route, with the Pahalgam route remaining closed pending further assessment of ground conditions. The resumption was welcome news for tens of thousands of pilgrims who had gathered at designated camps along both routes and had been waiting for clearance since the suspension began. Camp authorities and the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board had been providing food, water and shelter to stranded devotees during the suspension period. Officials stressed that movement would be carefully managed and that no convoys would be permitted to proceed if weather forecasts deteriorated. The Baltal route, being shorter and more accessible, was deemed the safer choice given the continuing instability on mountain paths leading through the Pahalgam corridor. [9]
🏢 Government Approves Two Unity Malls at Rs 255 Crore
The Jammu and Kashmir government approved the construction of two Unity Malls — one in Srinagar and one in Jammu — at a combined project cost of Rs 255 crore, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah confirmed. The Unity Mall concept, being rolled out nationally under a central government initiative, is designed to provide permanent exhibition and retail space for artisans and craftspersons from all Indian states, allowing them to market their traditional products to tourists and local consumers in a single purpose-built venue. For Srinagar, the approval represents a significant commercial infrastructure investment that dovetails with the government's push to revive tourism and boost the handicrafts economy. J&K's artisanal sector — renowned for pashmina shawls, walnut wood carving, papier mache, and hand-knotted carpets — has long lacked a well-organised showcase market in the heart of the city. Separately, the Breaking News ticker noted that J&K startups had won prizes at the ASCEND J&K 2026 entrepreneurship event and that the government had approved expansion of the Kathua grid station, pointing to a broader economic momentum in the region. [5]
Lieutenant Governor Chairs High-Level Security Review
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar in the wake of the Anantnag terror attack and the broader monsoon emergency gripping Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting, attended by senior police, army and paramilitary officers as well as senior civil administration officials, reviewed the overall security situation across the Union Territory and assessed the adequacy of current force deployments. Officials briefed the LG on the cordon-and-search operations under way following the killing of the policeman in Anantnag, as well as on the operational challenges posed by the simultaneous natural disaster unfolding across the region. The LG was said to have directed that security cover for critical installations and yatra-related infrastructure be maintained at heightened levels even as resources were being diverted to flood relief. Officials familiar with the meeting indicated that inter-agency coordination was reviewed and that district administrations had been tasked with submitting daily situation reports through a dedicated emergency command structure. [10]
Sources: [8] India Today · [3] Greater Kashmir · [4] Kashmir Life · [2] The Times of India · [9] Greater Kashmir · [5] Rising Kashmir · [10] Kashmir Life