(Feature Image: Portion of Logate Morh bridge on the Jammu-Pathankot NH gets damaged in Aug 2025 due to overflowing of Sahar Khad following heavy rainfall in Kathua. Source: The Tribune/ Credit: PTI)
At least 4 bridges across Jammu & Kashmir have suffered partial damages or complete collapse during 2025 underlining the growing threat of excessive riverbed mining & encroachment to bridges & river infrastructure. 3 of these incidents including washing out of part of approach road near the 4th Tawi bridge in Jammu, Keerian Gadiyal bridge on Ravi river and Logate Morh Bridge on Sahar Khad both in Kathua district occurred during severe deluge in Aug 2025. The Chandura bridge on Doodh Ganga river in Budgam was declared unsafe in Dec 2025.
Apart from experts, officials and civil society groups, the Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary have openly linked these damages to excessive mining in riverbeds and near bridge foundations weakening their structural stability. The floods further aggravated the situation, exposing already vulnerable infrastructure.
In 2024, there were several reports where experts and local communities expressed concerns over riverbed mining and transportation of mined material posing serious threats to river infrastructure including bridges, irrigation channels and embankments. Reports highlighted that heavy movement of trucks and dumpers was weakening the embankments of rivers and streams such as the Romshi, Rambiara, Doodh Ganga, Shali Ganga, Vishav and Sukhnag, while excessive sand mining was adversely affecting lift irrigation projects by lowering riverbeds and water levels.
In July 2024, the NGT also took suo motu cognizance of reports revealing mining in the Basantar river in Samba had exposed the pillars of the Ravi-Tawi Canal Bridge and a railway bridge. The NGT committee submitted its report in Oct 2024 confirming damage. In Dec 2024, citizens warned of unregulated mining in North Kashmir was damaging rivers, farmlands and ecosystems while increasing risks to public safety and infrastructure.
Chadoora Bridge-Dec 2025 A key bridge in Chadoora on Doodh Ganga stream, a busy town in Budgam district, was closed to all traffic after engineers declared it unsafe. The structure connected Srinagar with Charar-e-Sharif, Yousmarg and several parts of Pulwama. Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat of J&K RTI Movement attributed the damage to both engineering flaws and human intervention including large-scale riverbed mining & embankment filling along the river.
Locals also alleged illegal mining and riverbed encroachments reason for weakening the structure. The bridge has remained unrepaired for over six months disrupting connectivity and forcing residents cross the river daily risking accidents. The same bridge was damaged in 2014 flood also. Following reports of damage to the bridge allegedly caused by illegal mining, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Jan. 27, 2026 announced a blanket ban on mining activities near bridges.
4th Tawi Bridge: Aug 2025 Heavy rainfall and flooding in the Tawi River in Jammu town caused significant damage to the approach road of 4th Tawi Bridge near Bhagwati Nagar. The swollen river eroded portions of the road and adjoining areas disrupting connectivity and traffic movement. Authorities had to undertake emergency restoration, with the Army stepping in to install a temporary Bailey bridge to restore access.
In Jan. 2026, the J&K govt approved ₹19.75 cr for the permanent restoration and strengthening of the approach road to the 4th Tawi Bridge. In Feb. 2026, the Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary inspected the Tawi riverbed near the 4th Tawi Bridge and took serious note of alleged illegal mining activities being carried out in violation of regulations. He directed officials to take strict action against violators, stating that illegal riverbed mining was contributing to erosion and posing a threat to critical infrastructure, including bridges & embankments.
Notably, a joint team of the Geology & Mining Department and Police had seized a vehicle involved in illegal mining in the Tawi riverbed near Bhagwati Nagar in May 2025. The action followed reports highlighting unabated mining activities hardly 300 metres upstream of the 4th Tawi Bridge, despite regulations prohibiting extraction near critical infrastructure.
Keerian Gadiyal Bridge; Aug. 2025: While reviewing damage caused by heavy rains in Udhampur and Kathua, the Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Aug. 29, 2025 called for an immediate end to illegal mining and encroachments linking them to bridge erosion, landslides and flood-related disasters.
Referring to Keerian Gadiyal bridge on Ravi river in Kathua, the minister said that two years back the builder of the bridge had raised the concern that the bridge will get eroded soon, because of the illegal mining. He also said that regional officers of NHAI highlighted that out of 15 frames of the bridge, only two had remained functional and 13 had been eroded causing caving down of the bridge. The 1210-meter span-bridge was built at a cost of Rs 158.84 crore and inaugurated in Jan. 2019.
Logate Morh Bridge; Aug. 2025: A bridge over the Sahar Khad river near Logate Mor on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway collapsed on August 24 due to swelling of the river amid continuous rains in Kathura district. Expressing concern over the damage, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh in Sept. 2025 said the excessive mining activities played a major role in weakening a bridge and called for collective responsibility to curb the said practice. He also pointed to the nexus between politics and illegal mining.
Dec. 2024: The J&K Civil Society Forum (JKCSF), led by its Chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani, raised concerns over unregulated mining in North Kashmir, warning that it is damaging rivers, farmland and ecosystems while posing risks to public safety and infrastructure and urged immediate government intervention.
July 2024: The NGT took suo motu cognizance of a news item highlighting the exposure of pillars of the Ravi-Tawi Canal Bridge and railway bridge due to mining in the Basantar river of Samba. The three-member NGT panel submitted its report in Oct. 2024 revealing environmental damage. Hearing the case in Feb. 2025, the NGT granted four weeks’ time to the Deputy Commissioners of Kathua, Samba, and Ganderbal to file their replies. The matter was then listed for further hearing on May 15, 2025.
April 2024: Through an article Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat mentioned about the constant movement of huge trucks, tractor trolleys, dumpers and tippers had weakened the embankments of streams like Romshi, Rambiara, Doodh Ganga, Shali Ganga, Vaishav, Sukhnag and other streams.
March 2024: In this report an official from the Irrigation Department is quoted stressing on the adverse impact of excessive sand mining on lift irrigation projects, noting that riverbed erosion renders them ineffective when the water level drops.
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