Jammu, Aug 30: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah is arriving on a two-day visit to Jammu tomorrow, August 31, to assess the situation following unprecedented devastation caused by recent heavy-rains induced flash floods, landslides, and soil erosion across the division, also claiming around 170 lives.
Casualties also included over 130 pilgrims of Machail Mata and Vaishno Devi.
Official sources state that he will reach Jammu late Sunday (August 31) evening at around 9 pm or so. He will straightway go to Raj Bhawan, Jammu, for a night’s halt.
As per his official itinerary, on September 1, 2025, he will first conduct an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas at 10:45 am. Following this, at 11:30 am, he will chair a review meeting on flood relief measures at the Raj Bhawan, Jammu. He is scheduled to leave for New Delhi on Monday afternoon.
“Though, as per the tentative schedule, the VVIP does not have any engagement on August 31, yet a last-minute change cannot be ruled out. He may, as per his discretion, tweak his schedule to accommodate individual or official meetings,” sources pointed out.
In the same breath, the caution that the entire itinerary will be subject to weather conditions remains intact.
Notably, the Meteorological department has predicted heavy to very heavy rains across the Jammu division from August 31 to September 2. Advisory has warned of the possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, and mudslides as well.
For August 31, there is a forecast of moderate to heavy rainfall over several districts of the Jammu region – Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, and Udhampur.
“On September 1, he may have an aerial survey of Katra and Kishtwar, besides other flood-ravaged areas in the Jammu division, up to 12 noon. Aerial survey will be followed by a review meeting at Raj Bhawan, where an exhaustive assessment of damages will be made. VVIP is scheduled to depart at 2 pm for the Union Capital on Monday (September 1),” they said.
Shah will be accompanied by senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the top brass of the J&K administration, security agencies will brief him about rescue, relief, and restoration works so far.
Rains-induced flash floods, landslides have caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure, including crucial bridges, National Highway stretches, public and private properties, fields, and livestock, thus leading to a growing chorus for the matching central package.
Is there any meeting with local BJP leaders scheduled with the Union Home Minister during his visit?
With this query, when Greater Kashmir contacted the chief spokesperson of J&K Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sunil Sethi, he said, “I can only confirm that he is coming tomorrow evening. There will be senior party leaders going to the technical airport to receive the Union Home Minister. Beyond that, the schedule presently is not with us vis-à-vis any meeting with the party or its senior leaders.”
Earlier, the Home Minister visited the region on May 29 and 30.
Meanwhile, the Vaishnodevi Yatra remained suspended for the fifth day amid persisting inclement weather conditions.
