Divisional commissioner, Jammu, SanjeevVerma, inspector general of police (IGP), Jammu zone, M K Sinha and IGP traffic, Alok Kumar, Monday conducted aerial survey of various snow-affected areas of Ramban district, besides visiting massive landslide spot on Srinagar-Jammu highway near Maroog, Ramban to oversee the clearance operation so that the highway is reopened for traffic at the earliest.
Deputy commissioner, Ramban, ShowkatAijazBhat, DIG, DKR, BhimSenTuti, SSP, Anita Sharma, SSP Trafic, SanjeevKhajuria, project director, NHAI, and other concerned officers were present on the occasion.
The divisional commissioner directed the NHAI authorities to depute adequate men and machinery for opening of the highway from Nashri to Banihal, especially at Maroog, Anokhifall, Battery Chasma, Digdole and other vulnerable locations.
He, along with IGs, inspected the road clearance operation at Maroog and directed the concerned agencies to ensure smooth and safe passage of traffic by clearing the landslides, besides ensuring proper maintenance of the highway at all crucial places, in order to provide hassle free road journey to the commuters as early as possible.
Meanwhile, he also convened a meeting with the district officers to review progress on restoration works and discussed issues regarding restoration of essential services in the district.
He directed the officers of FCS&CA to ensure speedy distribution of ration in snow-affected and cut-off areas, including Mahu-Mangit. He asked the PWD and PMGSY department to expedite restoration of road connectivity, whereas PDD and PHE departments were directed to restore water and power supply in affected areas on war footing.
He asked the officers of Beacon to depute a snow cutter machine to clear snow from roads. All the departments were directed to depute their departmental teams in snow affecting areas for providing assistance to the people related to their respective departments.
The divisional commissioner asked the officers to put in place effective response mechanism with active emergency action plan. He stressed on successful disaster management mechanism with quick rescue teams to deal with exigencies, if arise.
He directed the officers to make sure that services concerning their respective departments in the district shall be restored as early as possible so that the public do not have to face any inconvenience on this account.
Earlier, the DDC apprised the divisional commissioner of measures being taken by the district administration for restoring essential supplies in the district, besides accommodating the stranded passengers at different locations.
Various deputations from different areas of the district called on the divisional commissioner and raised several problems and development issues of their respective areas, including start of construction work of Maitra bridge over river Chenab, Maitra by-pass road, macadamization of highway in Ramban town, land compensations, posting of doctors in far-flung areas, chopper service and opening of KendriyaVidyalaya and called for taking measures for ensuring their redressal at an earliest.
The divisional commissioner passed necessary directions to the concerned officers to resolve the public issues at the earliest.