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Srinagar-Jammu highway shut for third day
Srinagar: The strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway remained closed on Friday for the third consecutive day due to fresh landslides, leaving scores of vehicles stranded on the over 300-kilometre long road.
“Srinagar-Jammu national highway will remain closed today because of fresh landslides due to heavy rains during the night in Magarkoot and Battery Cheshma areas of the road in Ramban district,” a senior traffic department official told here.
“No vehicle will be allowed to move on the highway today (Friday) as road clearance operations are going on,” said the official.
More than 1,500 vehicles including trucks, public and passenger transport vehicles and private vehicles are stranded at safer places along the highway that forms the landlocked Valley’s only surface link with the rest of the country.
Heavy nightlong rain in the Valley has again caused rise in the water levels of rivers, lakes and mountain streams here, though the Jhelum river is still flowing below the danger mark.
“Water level of Jhelum river was 13.7 feet at Sangam (Anantnag), it was 15.6 feet at Ram Munshibagh (Srinagar) and 11.3 at Asham (Bandipora) today (Friday) morning. The river is flowing much below the danger mark,” an official of the flood control department said on Friday.
Jammu and Kashmir cabinet minister Naeem Akhtar told IANS in Srinagar: “There is no flood threat anywhere in the state.”
“All the rivers are flowing below the danger mark. Spring season is otherwise also the wettest season in Kashmir, but because of last year’s unprecedented floods the absorption capacity of soil has been reduced and this is one reason for water-logging at many places,” he said.
“I want to assure everybody including the tourists to come here and be our guests. We are opening the famous Tulip Garden in Srinagar tomorrow. So come and enjoy your stay in the cool valley without any threat of floods.”
Most residents of flood prone areas in the city like Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Wazirbagh, Gogjibagh and Bemina who had shifted to the houses of friends and relatives in the safer old city areas have started returning home.
Sonam Lotus, director of the local weather office has said there would be improvement in weather from Saturday.
“The western disturbance active over Jammu and Kashmir has weakened. We are expecting improvement in weather conditions from tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon,” Lotus said.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.