The situation continues to worsen due to the closure of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway. Severe damage in Udhampur district has kept the route shut for the past nine days. As a result, around 4,000 trucks loaded with fruits remain stranded on the road.

Truck drivers expressed their distress by showing apples that have started rotting. Shipments worth lakhs of rupees are on the verge of being wasted, while Kashmir’s orchard owners are also facing massive losses. This highway is a crucial link connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country, and its closure is directly impacting trade and supplies.

Local administration has said that repair work is underway at a rapid pace, but due to landslides and severe damage, it may take more time for the route to reopen. Meanwhile, drivers and traders are continuously appealing to the government to restore the highway at the earliest, so that their hard work and investment are not completely ruined.