1-way movement of heavy vehicles allowed on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway

Ramban, May 13

Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open but traffic movement was slow due to single-lane road stretches, shabby road surface conditions besides the on-foot movement of nomads with their livestock between Nashri and Banihal sections in Ramban district on Monday.

Official sources said the Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link connecting valley Kashmir with the rest of the country, remained open for two-way traffic of passenger light and medium vehicles and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles for Jammu on Monday.

However traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic at Ramban, and Ramsu, said that traffic movement remained slow citing single-lane roads besides poor road surface conditions at many places and on foot movement of nomadic flock between Nashri and Banihal sector of National Highway passing through Ramban district. They identified poor, shabby road surface conditions at Dalwass, Mehad, Cafeteria, Panthyal, Magarkote, Hingni, Nachlana, Gangroo, Kishtwari Pathar and other places. They said despite poor road conditions hundreds of light and medium passenger vehicles plied on either side of Jammu Srinagar National Highway.

They said heavy vehicles from Qazigund, Kashmir are still heading towards Jammu and other destinations of the country.

Traffic authorities once again advised passenger vehicle operators, commuters and people not to undertake journeys on National Highway-44 during night hours due to apprehensions of shooting tones between Ramban and Banihal.

They advised road users to prefer journeys on Srinagar Jammu National Highway during the daytime only.

Meanwhile, traffic authorities said National Highway 44 is open for two-way traffic for passenger light and medium vehicles and only one-way traffic for heavy vehicles.

It is important to mention here passenger light and medium vehicles are being allowed to ply on either side whereas heavy vehicles are being allowed to ply on alternate days due to ongoing four-lane construction works, single lane road, besides poor condition road stretches between Nashri and Banihal.