In view of weather forecasts predicting heavy rains in the coming days, the government of the Union Territory (UT) of J&K has announced holidays in all schools on August 29 and 30. The announcement regarding the closure of all schools, both government and private, across the Jammu division till August 30, was made late on the afternoon of August 28. Earlier, due to rains and related disruptions, the schools have remained closed since Monday.
Train services to and from Jammu and beyond to Katra have been affected due to ongoing checking being conducted on most bridges and rail tracks. In most areas, even bus and taxi services are disrupted as road connectivity is hit. This has happened due to the caving in of some important bridges on the National Highway 44 that connects Jammu & Kashmir to other parts of the country.
The officials of the Higher Education Department (HED) had not announced any holidays at the start of the week. However, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar had later ordered the closure of all colleges and universities in the region on Wednesday. The functioning of the colleges and university campuses was hugely impacted by the very heavy rains.
There were horrendous scenes in Shere Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences (SKUAST) Jammu as dozens of students got stranded as flood waters got into classrooms and laboratories. They were rescued by an Army unit which was moved for the rescue efforts. It was heartening to see officers from 87 Armoured Regiment leading their men into this humanitarian effort. At most times, it is virtually nameless faces that handle such grim scenarios. However, the students and Faculty members could identify the men who helped, as some of them wore caps which gave away their identity.
Late on August 28, an order for the closure of all schools was issued by the Director of School Education of Jammu, Dr Naseem Javaid Chowdhary. Reports being received from field staff all over the region had complained that due to continuous downpours over the past few days, there was heavy water-logging in many school premises, restricted access in low-lying areas. The order pointed out that road damage in several districts had made travel unsafe, and the situation had raised concerns among parents and civil society, who had urged authorities to continue the shutdown.
“In the interest of safety of students and staff, all schools in Jammu Division shall remain closed till August 30, 2025,” the directive reads. School heads have been directed to consider online classes, particularly for senior students, where infrastructure allows. They must also ensure cleaning and inspection of buildings before reopening. The order underlined that institutions must strictly follow prescribed norms and consult local administration before resuming physical operations. Fortunately, there was no rain on Thursday, but it barely helped the Power Development Department (PDD) to restore electricity in many areas. The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) supplied water tankers in areas where the residents faced issues due to power supply failure, leading to no water supply.
The extent of damage to the infrastructure is not clear as yet as restoration of services is the first priority for the authorities. In almost all 10 districts of the Jammu Division, the road links to major towns and urban centres, including district headquarters, have been snapped. This has happened because of roads caving in, bridges getting damaged or land subsidence. In view of all these problems, all educational institutions, shops and business establishments, barring those providing essential services, have remained closed.
In the markets, the rates of vegetables and fruits have shot up as supply lines have been disrupted. Some reports of acute shortages of these commodities have also been reported from towns.
