Jaisalmer: Relentless sandstorms in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district have buried key roads under thick layers of sand, cutting off stretches of the Bharatmala highway and disrupting routes used by the Border Security Force (BSF) to reach the international border.Residents said the intensity and duration of the storms, continuing for the past three days, have broken a 25-30-year record. Strong winds of 45-50 kmph have swept across the district, depositing large quantities of sand on roads, damaging newly germinated crops and severely affecting daily life.The worst-hit stretch is the Bharatmala highway between Myajlar and Pochina. Nearly two kilometres of the road near Math Khyala have been completely buried under sand. Locals said the stretch has remained virtually impassable for about a month, causing major difficulties for BSF vehicles, commuters and patients needing hospital care.With no immediate clearance by authorities, villagers and private bus operators have been spending their own money to remove sand from the road. The route, however, remains blocked in several places.Pochina resident Lalu Singh Sodha said the continuous sandstorms had badly affected normal life and caused severe inconvenience to motorists on the Bharatmala road in the border area. He said thick sand on the highway had increased the risk of vehicles skidding.Sodha said several minor and major accidents had occurred on the same road in the past, but no effective system had been put in place to clear accumulated sand regularly.On Sunday morning, the sky remained covered with dust as sandstorms continued in rural areas. Sand had piled up on roads and highways, with drifting sand seen moving across several stretches.Weather conditions are expected to remain the same over the next few days, adding to concerns over transport and crop damage in the border district.
