Jammu’s roads are a mess right now, and everyone’s feeling the heat. From the bustling lanes of Gandhi Nagar to the dusty tracks of rural Akhnoor, traffic jams are turning daily commutes into nightmares. City folks are stuck for hours on Jammu-Pathankot highway, where construction from last month’s floods is moving at a snail’s pace. In villages like Reasi, broken roads force farmers to dodge potholes just to get crops to market. Social media’s buzzing with frustration—posts with #JammuTrafficJam show cars lined up endlessly, drivers honking, and tempers boiling over in the September heat.
The trouble stems from August’s heavy rains, which washed out major routes and left debris clogging smaller ones. The Public Works Department, led by Chief Engineer Vinod Sharma, promised quick repairs, but progress is slow. Urban areas get most of the attention, with shiny new patches on city roads, while rural stretches remain a patchwork of mud and gravel. A recent government report admitted that only a fraction of the relief budget has reached village projects, leaving farmers and traders stranded. Commuters in Jammu city complain about poorly timed roadworks—digging during peak hours makes no sense. One shopkeeper told us, “I lose half my customers because they can’t reach my store.”
The impact’s hitting hard. School buses in urban areas like Sainik Colony are delayed, leaving kids late for class. In rural Rajouri, patients struggle to reach clinics, with ambulances stuck behind tractor jams. The department’s excuse? Shortage of workers and machines, plus tricky weather. But locals aren’t buying it—they point to mismanagement and rumors of funds not reaching the right hands. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a review meeting yesterday, pushing for faster work, but no clear timeline came out. With light rain forecast, per the weather department, things could get worse before they get better.
This isn’t just about late trips—it’s about lives on hold. Delivery drivers can’t make ends meet, and rural vendors lose perishable goods. Some city residents are carpooling or walking, but that’s tough for villagers far from markets. Community groups in Udhampur are trying to clear smaller paths themselves, but they need real support. The government’s got to step up—deploy more crews, fix schedules, and prioritize rural routes.
If you’re stuck in a jam, snap a pic and share with #JammuTrafficJam to keep the pressure on. Jammu deserves roads that work, not endless honking.