Jammu, Sep 10 : After remaining closed for 17 days since August 24, schools in Jammu division reopened on Wednesday bringing relief to parents and joy on the faces of children as they met classmates after the forced recess.

The Director of School Education (Jammu) had announced preparations for the reopening of schools, and staff were asked to report on duty on September 8.

Headmasters/Principals of various educational institutions were asked to conduct a thorough safety and security audit of the buildings before offline classes resume.

Chief education officers had been asked to oversee day-to-day activities and submit compliance reports to ensure readiness.

The closure of schools in the Jammu division was a consequence of heavy rains, flash floods, mudslides and landslides since August 24.

Unprecedented rainfall and cloudbursts caused huge damage to life and infrastructure, both public and private. With the overall improvement in weather, the focus of the authorities has now returned to normal academic activities.

However, abundant precautions had been ordered to be taken towards structural safety checks before welcoming students back.

The reopening of schools in Jammu marks an important step towards recovery after days of disruption, with the administration underlining its commitment to safeguarding children while ensuring that the academic calendar stays on track.

Meanwhile, the Yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra town of Reasi district remained suspended for the 16th day on Wednesday.

The yatra had been suspended on the day the landslide hit the route of the shrine.

Most of the Yatris had returned to Katra base camp on August 26, but many had taken shelter at Ardhkunwari on the route where the landslide struck, killing 35 pilgrims.

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway remained closed for the last seven days, although it was partially restored before that by laying a by-pass along the damaged highway.

The closure has adversely affected the supply of essential supplies into the Valley while apple growers are worried as the non-availability of transport to the markets outside J&K will rot most of this year's crop for want of transportation.

/IANS