Major highways and key arterial roads across Jammu and Kashmir have been forced to close following a relentless onslaught of heavy rain and fresh snowfall in the region. Officials confirmed that significant routes, including the crucial Jammu-Srinagar and Srinagar-Leh National Highways, as well as the high-altitude Mughal and Sinthan top roads, became impassable on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, due to multiple landslips and deep snow accumulation.
The intense overnight rain in the plains combined with new snowfall in elevated areas has caused a sharp drop in temperatures, impacting daily life and travel.
A spokesperson from the traffic department stated that the 270-kilometer Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, vital for connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, was shut down for vehicles early on Tuesday morning, October 7, 2025. This closure was necessitated by landslips and continuous rockfall in several spots between Udhampur and Banihal.
Road clearing teams are working diligently to restore accessibility as quickly as possible. Authorities are optimistic that traffic, currently halted at Nagrota in Jammu, can be cleared by late afternoon. The highway has been operating with alternate day traffic from Srinagar and Jammu due to ongoing repairs from extensive damage incurred during heavy rains in August-September. On this particular day, traffic was scheduled to move from Jammu to Srinagar.
In addition to the main highway, the 434-kilometer Srinagar-Leh National Highway, along with the Mughal and Sinthan roads—which offer alternative routes connecting Kashmir—are also closed due to significant snow cover. The public has been advised to avoid travel until these roads are fully reopened. The Zojila pass, on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, reported approximately six inches of snowfall.
Other high-altitude areas, including Peer Ki Gali on the Mughal road (linking the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu with south Kashmir’s Shopian district) and Sinthan top in Kishtwar district, also experienced considerable snowfall, ranging from three to four inches. Snowfall reports have also emerged from the upper reaches of Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch districts within the Jammu region. Encouragingly, the Weather Department forecasts a significant improvement in overall conditions from Wednesday, October 8, 2025, with no rain or snowfall anticipated for the next two weeks.
The pilgrimage to the revered Vaishno Devi temple in the Trikuta Hills of Reasi district and the Machail Mata shrine in Kishtwar district remained suspended for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, due to the severe weather. Both pilgrimages are slated to resume on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
Furthermore, all government and private educational institutions throughout the Jammu division remained closed for the second day on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
According to an official from the Meteorological Department, Udhampur in the Jammu division received the highest rainfall, with 100.2 mm recorded in the 24 hours leading up to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Batote followed with 98.2 mm, Banihal with 75.8 mm, Katra (the base camp for Vaishno Devi pilgrims) with 44 mm, and Jammu city with 38.6 mm.
Jammu city experienced a maximum temperature of 21.3 degrees Celsius, which is 11.1 degrees below the seasonal normal. The minimum temperature also dropped significantly by almost six degrees to 15 degrees Celsius, as reported by the Weather Department.