Katal Batal: Nearly ten months after flash floods washed away a crucial bridge over the Tawi river connecting several villages and the famous Raja Pad Devta shrine on the outskirts of Jammu, hundreds of residents of the Katal Batal area in Nagrota continue to rely on boats for their daily commute, with the impending monsoon season triggering fresh fears of prolonged isolation.
The bridge was the sole road link for several hamlets with populations of 4,000 to 5,000 and a major access route to the revered temple. It was swept away during devastating floods last year. Since then, villagers, students, government employees, labourers, traders and pilgrims have been forced to cross the river in boats to reach schools, workplaces and markets.
